Transcript Highlights:

• We were created statutorily in 2002 by a group of administrators and legislators.
• Chairman, Senator Carlson, that's outlined in the pending legislation.
• That's what that legislation outlines, is how would that $10 million reduction be implemented?
• Chairman, Senator Carlson, that's outlined in the pending legislation.
• That's what that legislation outlines, is how would that $10 million reduction be implemented?

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The Senate Education Committee first approved the January 26 and January 27, 2026 minutes by voice vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) Superintendent Jeff Simmons, joined by Cambridge Superintendent Anthony Butler, on IDLA’s role as Idaho’s statewide supplemental online learning program. Simmons described IDLA’s funding model, course offerings, growth in enrollment, quality controls, teacher certification and oversight, use of Idaho teachers and curriculum, free open-content resources, and efforts to support families through lower course fees and waived dual-credit fees. He also said IDLA is preparing for a proposed $10 million budget cut, which he said would significantly reduce enrollments and course offerings. Butler testified that IDLA is especially valuable for small rural districts like Cambridge for credit recovery, dual credit, scheduling flexibility, and keeping students on track to graduate. Senators asked about teacher certification, costs, evaluation in a virtual setting, AI use, statutory naming, and how IDLA would be affected by budget reductions. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1234, sponsored by Senator Carlson, which would change Lewis-Clark State College’s name to Lewis-Clark State University. President Cynthia Pemberton testified that the change would not alter the institution’s mission, programs, or focus, but would reduce confusion about the school’s offerings, better reflect its four-year and graduate programs, and help recruitment and partnerships. She said the proposal has broad support from the State Board of Education, K-12 partners, local chambers, and campus stakeholders, and estimated a one-time rebranding cost of about $50,000. Senators asked about the cost and intent language, and the committee voted to send the bill to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. The meeting adjourned afterward, with notice that there would be no Education Committee meeting the following day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were created statutorily in 2002 by a group of administrators and legislators.
• Chairman, Senator Carlson, that's outlined in the pending legislation.
• That's what that legislation outlines: how would that $10 million reduction be implemented?
• Chairman, Senator Carlson, that's outlined in the pending legislation.
• That's what that legislation outlines, is how would that $10 million reduction be implemented?

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, you and I served on the Criminal Sentencing Task Force before I was a legislator.
• Chair, you and I served on the Criminal Sentencing Task Force before I was a legislator.
• I strongly support this piece of legislation.
• So I do support this piece of legislation. Any further comments?
• Asking for a yes vote on this really reasonable piece of legislation before us that allows professionals

Bills: HB1239 , HB2310 , HB2490 , HB2508 , HB2510 , HB2532 , HB2539

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: reentry, reentry readiness, recidivism, earned release time, good time credits, graduated reentry, community custody, partial confinement, home detention, work release, electronic monitoring, substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, corrections, Department of Corrections, DOC, prison reform, sentencing, release date recalculation, transition services

Transcript Highlights:

• And so over many, many years, people have, different legislators, different advocacy groups have gotten
• Chair, you and I served on the criminal sentencing task force before I was a legislator.
• Chair, you and I served on the criminal sentencing task force before I was a legislator.
• I strongly support this piece of legislation.
• So I do support this piece of legislation. Any further comments?

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met in executive session on February 2, 2026, to consider several bills. Staff summarized bills on reentry and earned release time (HB 1239), assault with sexual motivation (HB 2310), extraordinary medical placement (HB 2490), Office of Independent Investigations reporting rules (HB 2508), stalking supervision (HB 2510), nitrous oxide restrictions (HB 2532), and inmate funds/indigency thresholds (HB 2539). HB 2220 was bumped to the next day, and the committee later deferred action on HB 2490. On HB 1239, the committee considered multiple amendments. Amendments to require additional community custody supervision, reduce the earned release increase for serious violent and Class A sex offenses to 20%, and bar earned release from being used if parole is later established were all rejected. Amendments excluding sexual motivation enhancements from earned release calculations and adding a second DOC pilot program for incarcerated survivors at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton were adopted. The committee then reported out the amended substitute bill on a 5-4 vote, with members debating public safety, victim impacts, sentencing fairness, and DOC workload. HB 2310, which elevates fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation to a Class C felony for offenders with specified criminal history, was reported out unanimously. HB 2508 was amended to narrow immediate reporting requirements for non-deadly force incidents and in-custody deaths, then passed unanimously. HB 2510, requiring DOC supervision for people convicted of stalking in community custody, also passed unanimously. HB 2532 passed unanimously after an amendment adding a veterinary-care exception to the nitrous oxide offense. HB 2539, which raises the inmate indigency threshold to $100 and, in the substitute, removes the telephone-services deduction exemption, passed on a 6-3 vote. The committee adjourned after stating it would return the next day to act on the remaining bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a natural question that we ask: are you going to be responsive to legislators?
• Are they released to us as the legislative body? Not that I'm aware of. Okay. Thank you very much.
• That's part of the transparency that is part of the legislation.
• I think that there was a lot of public attention on it, but there was a lot of legislative attention
• When we as legislators but also when members of the public learn and hear about these, there is a little

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Deborah Garns, Davis Rabbit, Cindy Silva, Vincent Wells, and Lee Herrick as California Poet Laureate, all by 5-0 votes. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees and floor acknowledgments, each by 5-0 vote, before moving to appointments required to appear. Trista Gonzalez, nominated to lead the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, testified about her 33-year career in tax administration and emphasized taxpayer service, efficiency, and team culture. Members asked about responsiveness to legislators, the lithium extraction tax, online sales tax compliance after Wayfair, and enforcement against illicit cigarette, tobacco, and cannabis activity. Gonzalez said the department is ready for the lithium tax, works to register businesses meeting the $500,000 threshold, and coordinates with law enforcement on inspections and seizures. Public commenters from Ryan LLC and the California Society of Enrolled Agents supported her confirmation. The committee voted 5-0 to send her nomination to the full Senate. Aaron McGuire, nominated as executive director of the Board of State and Community Corrections, described his experience at the agency and its expanded responsibilities, including annual detention facility inspections, major grant administration, and the new in-custody death review division. Senators questioned him about grant oversight, fraud prevention, public access to audits, implementation of SB 519, and conditions in local detention facilities, especially in Los Angeles County juvenile facilities. McGuire said the board uses screening, reporting, site visits, audits, and recovery actions to monitor grants, and that trailer bill language has clarified access to records for in-custody death reviews. He also said staffing shortages remain a major issue in Los Angeles juvenile facilities and that the board continues to work with the courts and local officials. Supporters from Amity Foundation, Health Right 360, Westcare, and Giffords testified in favor, and the committee approved his nomination 5-0 to advance to the full Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the division manager for the Budget Policy Analysis Division for Legislative Services.
• So this first slide that I have is, and some of you who've been in Legislative Council have seen versions
• And then the far right-hand column is the legislative— —budget plan as recommended by the governor, and
• then the far right-hand column is the legislative scenario that we're currently working with, right?
• And so my goal here is to really kind of give you a view of where the legislative scenario could be.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: Senate State Affairs began with a budget update from Senator Groh and Keith Bybee of Legislative Services. They discussed Idaho’s revenue outlook, tax conformity uncertainty, and structural balance concerns, noting that revised revenue forecasts were lower than expected due to softness in sales tax, income tax, and corporate tax collections. Bybee reviewed general fund growth trends, major budget drivers such as Medicaid, public schools, corrections, and other state-directed spending, and said the state still has substantial cash reserves but only a relatively small projected bottom-line cushion. Several senators asked about per-capita spending, population growth, Medicaid growth, and the effect of prior education appropriations. No budget votes were taken during this portion, but members emphasized caution and the need for a larger ending balance. The committee then considered the gubernatorial reappointment of Estella Zamora to the Idaho Commission on Human Rights. Zamora described her background in Idaho, her long service in the courts and on the commission, and her interest in continuing to serve. Senators asked about the commission’s caseload, with Zamora saying disability-related matters are common and that she did not recall immigration cases coming before the commission recently. The committee also unanimously approved the gubernatorial appointment of David Dean to the Idaho Endowment Fund Investment Board. Next, the committee heard and approved a pending rule from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission on pole attachments, implementing House Bill 180A. The administrator explained that the rule was developed through negotiated rulemaking with utilities and attaching entities and sets standardized timelines, non-discriminatory access requirements, make-ready work procedures, and dispute resolution processes to support broadband expansion. After questions about stakeholder input, including landowners, the committee voted to approve the rule docket. Finally, the committee took up three RS requests from Senator Brian Lenney: RS 3-2874 to eliminate the personal voter affidavit process, RS 3-2868 to repeal obsolete code related to the Idaho Women’s Commission, and RS 3-2970 to impose a 12-month moratorium on reappointing a gubernatorial appointee rejected by the Senate. All three RSs were introduced by committee vote, with some members noting possible future questions about the wording and effective date of the appointment moratorium. The meeting adjourned after a brief recognition of visiting county officials from Caribou County.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am probably not the best person to ask on hemp-specific legislation.
• The nature of that legislation, though, I'm not familiar with.
• I am probably not the best person to ask on hemp-specific legislation.
• I'm probably not the best person to ask on hemp-specific legislation.
• There has been some state legislation in that arena.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They actually bring in, I believe, executive branch ethics and legislative ethics.
• be most likely on a Monday in the morning, and then we can get out of here before it's all the legislators
• 00:11:55.920><c> and</c> believe executive branch ethics and believe executive branch ethics and legislative
• They try to get legislative ethics.
• are in and then as all the legislators are in and then as you<00:12:45.200><c> remember</c><00:12:45.440

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The commission first returned from executive session and reported that no action was taken. It then approved a motion finding there was no reason to believe the respondent in case 25 LAC1 had committed or was about to commit a violation of the code, and dismissed the complaint under KRS 6.86(1)(b)3. Members next reviewed and approved the September financial report, which staff said was based on state accounting data and showed the commission within year-to-date budget parameters. Staff also reported that all required forms for the recent reporting period had been filed and that there were no outstanding forms. The main substantive discussion concerned a proposed one-year, $6,000 contract with Tyler Technology/Kentucky Interactive to add an online payment portal for the commission’s re-registration process. Staff said the system would let employers pay registration fees online using an employer ID, reduce manual handling of 3,000 to 3,500 forms and hundreds of credit card payments, and improve security by keeping credit card information out of commission staff hands. Members asked about user fees and procurement concerns; staff explained that users would still pay the existing credit card processing fee, that an e-check option would also be available, and that the $6,000 cost was viewed as below the de minimis threshold. The commission approved the contract. In other updates, staff said informal opinions were included in the materials and remained confidential, reported on a presentation to the UK Martin School, noted that the regular session calendar would likely require meetings to shift during the legislative session, and said the commission’s statutory recommendations had been received by LRC and referred to a state government committee. The meeting then moved into executive session to discuss a personnel matter.

Transcript Highlights:

• RECENT FCO APPROPRIATIONS DURING THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WE WERE APPROPRIATED 5.561 MILLION FOR
• AS YOU KNOW FOLLOWING RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION WE RECEIVED APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PREVIOUS
• WE WANT THE COMMITTEE'S AND THE LEGISLATORS WHETHER IT'S A HOUSE OR THE SENATE TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT IS
• IN THE COMING FORWARD WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET REQUEST WE HAD ANTICIPATED ABOUT $2 MILLION FOR SITE
• SO IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHEN THE LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZED 3090 JUDGESHIPS INCLUDING TWO FOR

Transcript Highlights:

• And thank you for having me here today to discuss the implementation voting legislation that was signed
• into law during the 2025 Legislative Session.
• We feel that this number will increase substantially with the new legislation that has been implemented
• What happened is the legislation went through before the commission meeting that we were going to bring
• So we froze it and pause that because the new legislation, if passed would have would have completely

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation also helps facilitate one of Governor Abbott's major goals to grow the Texas economy
• Now I humbly ask and request that you vote in favor of this legislation.
• This legislation also helps facilitate one of Governor Abbott's major goals to grow the Texas economy
• Now I humbly ask and request that you vote in favor of this legislation.
• Thank you all for this legislation.

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

Committee: Senate Local Government

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

Summary: The committee heard and discussed several local-government-related bills, mostly with committee substitutes. House Bill 2731 would let certain border counties regulate roadside vendors selling live animals in unincorporated areas and along public rights-of-way; the substitute narrowed the bill to live animal sales only and excluded livestock and other roadside commerce. House Bill 3483 would streamline TCEQ review of special utility district revenue bonds by removing tax-bond requirements that do not apply to SUDs. House Bill 4308 would create a county industrial development district framework, limited in the substitute to certain counties including Fort Bend County, to help finance industrial sites and related infrastructure. House Bill 5663 would create a Wood County Hospital District memory-care-focused district with no taxing power, intended to help pursue grants and other funding for a new facility. House Bill 4582 addressed attainable housing in Dallas and Tarrant counties, allowing local reimbursement tools for developers under a uniform, optional framework. House Bill 5509 would let municipalities suspend or revoke a hotel’s certificate of occupancy if law enforcement and a criminal court both find probable cause of human trafficking, with the substitute adding due-process protections. House Bill 1532 created a Lake Houston dredging and maintenance district funded by revenue from dredged material sales and revenue bonds, with no taxing authority or eminent domain. House Bill 23, heard as pending business, would revise the process for local governments to rescind development documents and adjust third-party reviewer liability and eligibility rules. House Bill 4580, concerning property tax exemptions for charitable organizations such as the Houston Rodeo, was amended to remove language about exempting revenue from property use and instead focus on land used for agricultural, youth, and educational support. Public testimony was generally supportive on the bills heard, with witnesses including county officials, utility and water association representatives, hotel industry representatives, and housing developers. Several speakers emphasized the need for faster financing or permitting tools, flood mitigation, housing affordability, anti-trafficking enforcement, or local economic development. Some members raised concerns about scope, precedent, consultation with affected senators, and due process, particularly on House Bill 4582 and House Bill 5509, but the committee largely accepted the committee substitutes as improvements. No public testimony was offered on several bills, and most measures were left pending before later being voted out. The committee took recorded votes on multiple pending bills and reported them favorably, often with committee substitutes adopted in lieu of the filed versions. House Bills 1532, 2731, 3483, 5509, 5663, and 4580 were reported out, with 1532 and 5663 passing unanimously and 3483, 2731, and 5509 also receiving favorable votes despite one present-not-voting on 3483. House Bill 23 and House Bill 4582 were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until adjournment or later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator, what would you call the other major pieces of legislation or work to come out of the capital
• Senator, what would you call the other major pieces of legislation or work to come out of the capital
• 00:08:04.639><c> major</c><00:08:04.960><c> pieces</c><00:08:05.280><c> of</c><00:08:05.520><c> legislation
• </c><00:08:06.160><c> or</c> the other major pieces of legislation or the other major pieces of legislation
• or your achievement this legislation or your achievement this session?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill requires that the ID ultimately created under this legislation includes the ability... ...to
• These are the requirements for the agency to collaborate with the Texas Humane Legislation Network in
• We have someone, Susan Swift from the Texas Humane Legislative Network. Welcome. Good morning.
• For the record, I had Francisco Tallino from the Texas Humane Society Legislative Network for the bill
• This legislation eliminates that poor choice by eliminating the consideration of motor carriers' use

Bills: SB215 , SB1104 , SB1351 , SB1931 , SB2245 , SB2589 , SB2707 , SB2807 , SB1423 , SB1568

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: education, funding, school districts, local control, equity, digital identification, identity verification, Department of Public Safety, Texas legislature, wireless communication, Texas, technology, identification program, fee structure, wireless devices, public safety, hunting license, handgun license, fingerprinting, dealer license

Transcript Highlights:

• To protect this, we're asking that legislators clarify the status of social service work.
• To protect this, we're asking that legislators clarify the status of social service workers in the eyes
• the Department of Insurance Policy and Legislation Branch, and Michael Peterson, Deputy Commissioner
• Josephine Figueroa, Deputy Commissioner and Legislative Director.
• Josephine Figueroa, Deputy Commissioner and Legislative Director for the Department of Insurance.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Insurance met as a subcommittee and heard several bills related to workers’ compensation, insurance access, climate resilience, and farmworker protections. AB 815 would prevent social service workers who use personal vehicles to transport clients from being misclassified as commercial or for-hire drivers under personal auto policies; supporters said the current practice leads to unaffordable premiums and denied claims, while no opposition testified. AB 1329 would revise the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund to reduce litigation and medical-legal costs and lower employer assessments; insurers and business groups opposed unless amended, citing concerns about eligibility standards and the QME process, but the bill advanced after amendments were discussed. AB 1048 would allow disputed unauthorized payment reductions for medical providers to be reviewed through independent bill review; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, while opposition argued IBR is the wrong forum and existing contract dispute processes should control, though the bill also passed. AB 1236 would create a Department of Insurance grant program for climate and sustainability risk-reduction projects, with broad support from the department, environmental groups, and insurers, and it passed unanimously. The committee also heard AB 1336, the Farmworker Heat Illness Prevention Act, which would create a rebuttable presumption that a heat-related injury arose out of employment when an agricultural employer fails to comply with heat illness prevention standards. Supporters, including United Farm Workers, argued the bill would help protect farmworkers amid extreme heat and enforcement gaps; opponents from the workers’ compensation and agricultural sectors said the measure improperly uses the compensation system to enforce OSHA rules and could create unclear adjudication and delay issues. Members discussed Cal/OSHA enforcement limits, undocumented workers’ reluctance to report violations, and the relationship between the bill and existing workers’ compensation procedures. Despite opposition, AB 1336 passed on a divided vote. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 1125, AB 1293, and AB 1398, which were approved together. Roll calls were held open and later completed, and the bills that advanced were sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after final votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the committee, we do have a committee substitute, and all the substitute is, is a Legislative
• This legislation simply corrects this minor discrepancy. to ensure uniformity in the treatment of all
• The legislation aims to streamline operations, enhance flexibility, and align Texas ports with national
• Our concerns with the legislation relate primarily to the filed version in Section 6, which I understand
• Beyond their role and responsibility to maintain and promote navigable commerce, we oppose legislation

Bills: SB682 , SB1013 , SB1369 , SB1422 , SB2001 , SB2080 , SB2366 , SB2705 , SB2841

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, Captain Kevin Williams, Firefighter Austin Cheek, Smith County, transportation, pedestrian right-of-way, sidewalk users, bicycle safety, micromobility, electric scooter, motor-assisted scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, skateboard, roller skates, driveway crossing, alley crossing, traffic safety, yield law, Texas Transportation Code, vehicle-pedestrian collision

Transcript Highlights:

• What can legislators do to help with the shortage? I think listening is a big one.
• you're campaigning, and then you realize how big of an undertaking it is as you go through the legislative
• </c> is as you go through the legislative is as you go through the legislative process<00:03:14.959><
• We have 2011 legislators in the state: 100 are Republicans, 101 are Democrats.
• in the 2011 legislators in the state<00:10:11.360><c> 100</c><00:10:11.680><c> are</c><00:10:11.920>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, members of this committee may need to step away for other legislative duties, including presenting
• This legislation ensures that the country, uh, hospital district can operate in compliance with current
• Without legislative renewal, the district will expire on September 1st, 2025.
• We like good legislation like this.
• Uh, these are created under legislative authority.

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the same piece of legislation that this committee passed last year.
• And most importantly, we need legislators to work with those of us who are directly impacted.
• We educate consumers, support responsible legislation, and regulation.
• So, I mean, essentially, this is why the judges support legislation.
• The judges support legislation, the District Attorneys Association supports the legislation because oftentimes

Bills: SB210 , SB225 , HB280 , HB287 , HB94 , HB88 , SB157 , HB7 , HB8 , HB42

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: hospital liens, medical billing, government healthcare, insurance claims, patient rights, blood tests, DUI, law enforcement, traffic offenses, chemical analysis, public nuisance, event liability, local government, community health, legal action, transparency, reporting, public safety, regulation, accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• I wholeheartedly support this legislation. In these areas, Texas should be leading on this issue.
• I wholeheartedly support this legislation that would remove unnecessary barriers to APRNs like nurse
• So we're going to take this information, we're going to educate our legislators.
• I wholeheartedly support this legislation that would remove unnecessary barriers to APRNs like nurse
• So we're going to take this information and educate our legislators.

Bills: SB2 , SJR36 , SB2 , SB2 , SR29 , SB2

Keywords: Maverick County, recognition, economic development, Texas Senate, community celebration, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> would require legislative confirmation would require legislative confirmation for<00:54:45.720><
• </c><00:55:46.960><c> If</c> legislative to legislative approval.
• If legislative to legislative approval.
• </c> and let this legislation move forward. and let this legislation move forward.
• ,</c> that particular piece of legislation, that particular piece of legislation, but,<05:24:06.080><

Keywords: 910, house, all