Transcript Highlights:

• I might add that in the chain of my acquisition to San Diego, sale of my acquisition, production, and
• sale of my products, that the only area that I that is not tax-exempt from either ad valorem or sales
• essentially, you know. the realized gain or loss, but in this case, the realized gain of an asset sale

Bills: HB195 , HB247 , HB255 , HJR2 , HJR4 , HJR6 , HJR31 , HJR34 , HB195 , HB247 , HB255 , HJR6 , HJR31 , HJR34

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: school district, ad valorem tax, local revenue, tax collection, education funding, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure, Texas-Mexico border, ad valorem taxation, farm products, livestock, timber, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• slides, there have been several states that have also enacted laws that prohibit the use of certain deceptive
• And I think a reviewing judge would be a lot less sympathetic for me falling for a deceptive trick as
• tactics deceptive tactics when<00:47:09.440><c> interrogating.
• tactics are used during if deceptive tactics are used during questioning. questioning. questioning.
• trick as opposed to a deceptive trick as opposed to a 12-year-old<00:48:30.880><c> or</c><00:48:30.920

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:09 State of the Judiciary: 00:02:33 The Corrections - KCTCS Reentry Program: 00:49:44 Update on 2022 RS SB 90: 01:27:49, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council met with a quorum, approved the October 8, 2025 minutes, and welcomed guests including Marshall County Attorney Jason Darnall. The main topic was juvenile interrogation, with a presentation from Kentucky Youth Advocates by Courtney Downs and Shannon Moody. They said their organization is supporting a 2026 Blueprint priority requiring children to consult with an attorney before waiving Miranda rights, and they emphasized research on adolescent brain development, susceptibility to peer pressure and impulsive decision-making, and the risk of false confessions. They cited National Registry of Exonerations data showing high rates of false confessions among exonerated youth, especially younger children, and described approaches in other states such as Maryland’s Child Interrogation Protection Act, Indiana’s statute allowing certain adults to waive rights in some circumstances, and laws in other states requiring recording of interrogations or limiting deceptive tactics. Members asked about trauma and adverse childhood experiences, whether the proposal would require attorney consultation in every juvenile interview, whether parents could instead be the ones consulted, and how such a rule would affect law enforcement investigations and juvenile accountability. Senator Carroll and others raised concerns about feasibility, delays, and whether juveniles might avoid accountability if attorneys are required before questioning. The presenters responded that they were focused on ensuring children understand their legal rights, that some states use age- or offense-based limits, and that parent consultation is another model used elsewhere, though they said a lawyer is best suited to explain legal rights and process. Members also discussed the role of the Department of Public Advocacy and whether legislative action or court decisions should address the issue. The council did not take final action on the policy, but requested additional materials, including the text of laws from Maryland, Indiana, and North Carolina, for further review.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I also would amplify that I agree that the way the bill is written feels a little bit deceptive in
• And I find that that isn't helpful to legislators when it feels deceptive to be upfront, and I still
• And I find that that isn't helpful to legislators when it feels deceptive to be upfront, and I still
• in that we're saying we um deceptive in that we're saying we specifically<00:42:51.359><c> don't</c>
• </c><00:43:06.480><c> to</c> legislators when it feels deceptive to legislators when it feels deceptive

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The funds accrued from this license plate sale will benefit the Aces Foundation, and those funds will
• department is requesting an earlier due date by approximately 10 days for businesses to file and pay their sales
• This streamlines the delivery process for these new sales.
• With this new projected revenue, AB 375 will generate an estimated $25 million annually in new sales
• industry classifications for purposes of the commerce tax and changes the due date for the payment of sales

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

Committee: Senate Finance

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:

• In a high inflationary time and with budget stress at a maximum, even our sales taxes are trimming out
• Chairman, and to the members here is, you know, we're a sales tax state.
• It shows what my sales are, it shows what… ...and it shows what my credit card fees on tax are.
• Money on that sale because the chargeback fee was higher than my profit margin on that sale.
• And so that's why a restaurant can actually lose money on a perfectly legitimate sale.

Bills: SB231 , SB584 , SB600 , SB668 , SB841 , SB986 , SB1003 , SB1244 , SB1625 , SB1960 , SB1963 , SB1964 , SB2026 , SB2056 , SB2368

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, in a high-inflationary time and with budget stress to the maximum and even our sales taxes
• Secondly, the bill would recreate opportunities for partition actions to be resolved without forced sale
• with something like a one-eightieth interest, which is very common in heirs' property, from forcing a sale

Bills: SB231 , SB584 , SB600 , SB668 , SB841 , SB986 , SB1003 , SB1244 , SB1625 , SB1960 , SB1963 , SB1964 , SB2026 , SB2056 , SB2368

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and first took up several pending and uncontested bills. It favorably reported SB 1405, SB 1762, SB 1977, SB 2077, SB 2148, and SB 1968, and also moved SB 2321 to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then heard SB 819, which would change how the Public Utility Commission reviews proposed utility-scale solar and related interconnection projects. The committee substitute would shift the default so interconnection is allowed unless the PUC affirmatively prohibits it within 180 days, limit denial to cases where harm substantially outweighs benefits, remove public meeting requirements, retain setback and financial assurance provisions, add optional application materials such as national security and environmental information, and restore local control over county tax abatements. The substitute was adopted and SB 819 was favorably reported to the full Senate on a 7-3 vote. The committee then took up SB 231, focused on CenterPoint’s use of large emergency generators after Hurricane Beryl. Senator King explained that the original bill was intended to prevent customers from being charged for non-mobile generators that were leased at great cost and did not match the bill’s emergency-response purpose. CenterPoint’s Jason Ryan apologized for the company’s communication failures and said the company would make customers whole through a combination of rate reductions, foregone storm-cost recovery, and a donation of the 15 large generators to ERCOT for about two years to address a San Antonio-area reliability issue, with the company absorbing the associated costs. PUC Executive Director Connie Corona said the commission could enforce the agreement through its contested-case process. Public testimony included consumer and reliability advocates, one of whom argued utility-scale microgrids should be preserved as a policy option. SB 231 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 986, which would create an alternative process for routine Public Information Act requests so local governments can make initial redactions without sending every routine exception to the Attorney General, while preserving an appeal path and training requirements. Supporters said it would reduce backlog and speed access to records; opponents argued it would shift the burden to requesters and encourage delay. The AG’s office testified that the process could improve efficiency and still fit within current timelines if used promptly. SB 986 was left pending. Finally, SB 584 was briefly laid out to require consumer reporting agencies that buy data from others to ensure the information complies with Texas law on excluded items such as bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens, and SB 600 was heard on heir property. SB 600’s substitute would strengthen notice, require an attorney ad litem, add an heir’s bill of rights, allow settlement conferences, and require fair-market-value sales protections; supporters said it would curb predatory partition practices, while opponents warned some provisions could burden or diminish minority heirs’ property rights. SB 584 and SB 600 were left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• relating to housing by providing the funds necessary, therefore, through an election for the issuance and sale
• relating to housing by providing the funds necessary, therefore, through an election for the issuance and sale
• It's labeling that is dishonest and deceptive, in my opinion. We have conversations all the time.
• But this is not, this is deceptive.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is important information that consumers ought to know at the point of sale and when the product
• Californians lose their rights to the information, including their ability to limit the reuse, prevent the sale
• The last thing I'll say, and I think the author kind of pointed this out, those AI deception tools that
• everyone is working on... ...those AI deception tools that everyone is working on.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Vanson: The bottom line is our children are not for sale, so we need to do anything we
• The bottom line is our children are not for sale, so we need to do anything we need to to protect them
• The Department of Education argued that any sexually deceptive content is already prohibited in school
• The Department of Education argued that any sexually deceptive content is already prohibited in school
• for any person to obtain possession of a residential property through fraud, misrepresentation, or deceptive

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We can attach all these different emotionally, you know, deceptive or distracting narratives and imply
• some things that really... ...deceptive or distracting narratives and imply some things that really
• I think that's using emotional deception and narratives to frame an argument.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee first heard House Joint Memorial 20, sponsored by Representative Steve Tanner, which asks the federal government to study and account for the cost Idaho says it bears under Plyler v. Doe for educating children of non-citizens. Tanner argued the ruling functions as an unfunded mandate and estimated the annual cost to Idaho taxpayers at roughly $112 million to $220 million. Members debated whether the memorial conflicted with Plyler, whether undocumented status could even be studied, and whether the memorial unfairly targeted a vulnerable population. Supporters said it was simply a statement asking the federal government to make Idaho whole; opponents raised concerns about one-sided framing and the treatment of immigrant children. The committee took a roll call vote and passed the memorial 10-3, sending it to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 883, sponsored by Representative Doug Pickett, a school funding flexibility and earned autonomy proposal for both traditional public school districts and public charter schools. Pickett and Idaho Charter School Network representative Emily McClure explained that the bill would allow qualifying schools more discretion over funding and reduce reporting burdens if they meet academic, financial, and governance benchmarks. The bill includes a two-year grace period if a school has a bad year and a 2029 review date. Questions focused on the different standards for districts and charters, how many schools might qualify, how growth and socioeconomic factors are accounted for, and why virtual charter schools were excluded. Supporters said the bill rewards strong performance and innovation while maintaining accountability. Testimony in favor emphasized that high-performing schools need flexibility to allocate funds, hire experienced staff, and reduce compliance work; one charter school leader said a compliance position had become 95% paperwork. Some members praised the bipartisan effort and said the bill could be a useful experiment and a bridge to broader funding reform. Representative Veeley moved to send HB 883 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would have banned the sale...
• I think that would match our alcohol sales.
• And so this is intentional deception.
• We saw the retail sales locations.
• There's definitely a reason why we cut off alcohol sales.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 4467 by Isaac relating to unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental lease, advertisement or sale
• HB 4540 by Paul ruling the unauthorized interest to occupancy sale, rental lease, advertisement or sale
• History 4564 by Curry relating to the investigation and enforcement of the Deceptive Trade Practices
• In certain state and local taxes, the enactment of the uniform state sales tax and the related school
• HB 4725 by money relating to the sales tax exemption for the sale, lease or, installation of a distributed

Transcript Highlights:

• Aging 44-67 by Isaac, relating to unauthorized injury, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, advertisement,
• HB 4491 owned by Bella Montgomery linked to the firework sale of the public by retail firework permit
• It'd be 4540 by Paul ruling the unauthorized interest to your occupancy sale rental lease advertise or
• AG 4634 by Goodwin, ruling the quality standards for the sale of aggregates and. for the committee on
• H.U. 4720 by Pearson relating to the sale of fireworks for the Florida Jolly Hockey Club. celebration

Bills: HB9 , HB22 , HB908 , HB1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• Of the revenue that comes from licenses and tag sales, approximately 60% comes from non-residents and
• Of the revenue that comes from licenses and tag sales, approximately 60% comes from non-residents and
• Given the importance of non-resident sales to our overall revenue and some uncertainty about how demand
• advisory group that we put together to deal with the challenge we were having with non-resident tag sales
• advisory group that we put together to deal with the challenge we were having with non-resident tag sales

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation from the Department of Fish and Game. Legislative Services outlined the agency’s funding structure, noting it receives no general fund and is supported mainly by dedicated and federal funds, with most spending going to personnel and many requests being one-time items. Director Jim Fredericks described the department’s mission, staffing, hatcheries, wildlife management areas, habitat work, enforcement, and funding sources, including license and tag revenue, federal excise taxes, and mitigation funds. Members asked about rescissions, temporary employee restoration, fisheries inflation items, depredation claims, nonresident tag sales, communications with the public, predator management, chronic wasting disease, habitat projects, and the relationship with the Office of Species Conservation. Fredericks said the department is working to right-size depredation funding, that the new nonresident draw system appears to be maintaining strong revenue, and that many habitat and disease-related costs are rising because of changing conditions and expanded work. He also acknowledged the technology-rule advisory process could have been handled better, especially regarding wolves, and said he would have structured that committee differently in hindsight. The committee then took up the Office of Species Conservation. Janet Jessup explained that the office is small, mostly federally funded, and often passes grant money through to Fish and Game for on-the-ground work. Administrator Mike Edmondson said the office serves as the state’s technical, policy, and legal advisor on endangered and candidate species and works closely with Fish and Game on habitat and consultation issues. He described measurable work on sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bears, and said the office has concrete metrics such as acres treated, river miles restored, and conflict-reduction actions. Members asked about the overlap with Fish and Game, the number of species covered, and a proposed merger with the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. Edmondson said there is strong synergy with OMER because many energy and mining projects come through species consultation first, and he said the office would support a merger if the Legislature pursues it, though he cautioned against cutting too deeply. Questions also touched on grizzly bear delisting, wolf-trapping litigation, and tribal consultation on salmon, steelhead, and other species. Finally, Attorney General Raul Labrador presented his office’s budget and performance. He argued that the office has returned more money to the state than it costs, citing $242 million recovered or settled over three years, and said the proposed reductions would force furloughs or elimination of positions because the office is mostly personnel costs and largely general-fund supported. Labrador highlighted major gains in the Internet Crimes Against Children unit, saying the backlog of cyber tips was eliminated, review times are now within 24 hours, and arrests have risen sharply; he also noted the Legislature expanded the child sexual abuse material law to cover AI-generated content. He described expanded civil defense and appellate work, creation of a solicitor general function through reorganization, more in-house handling of risk cases, and a reworked consumer protection division that now responds to complaints within 24 hours and has increased enforcement and direct consumer recoveries. Members asked about the source of the recovered funds, whether cyber crimes are increasing or just being caught better, and whether the office could help develop a framework for transferring incarcerated noncitizens to federal custody for deportation. The budget analyst later clarified that some of the office’s apparent underspending reflects vacancy savings and the ability to move funds between expenditure classes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can attach all these different emotionally deceptive or distracting narratives and imply some things
• that really... ...deceptive or distracting narratives and imply some things that really is incorrect
• I don't think any of the other issues— I think that's using emotional deception and narratives to frame

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and technically reasonable, to include provenance data in AI-altered or generated content that is deceptive
• page-and-line amendment, the paper version that you have, eliminates the requirement that content be deceptive
• page-and-line amendment, the paper version that you have, eliminates the requirement that content be deceptive

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and technically reasonable, to include provenance data in AI-altered or generated content that is deceptive
• Provenance data in AI-altered or generated content that is deceptive.
• page-and-line amendment, the paper version that you have, eliminates the requirement that content be deceptive

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Second Substitute House Bill 1906 concerning water systems, focusing on a striking amendment that would require more notice to customers and relevant entities before ownership changes, require certain planning documents to be submitted, and direct the UTC to consider cost of capital, external funding, rate smoothing, notice, and planning compliance when setting rates for private water companies. Testifiers from the Washington PUD Association, Northwest Natural, Thurston PUD, and Washington Water Service generally supported the bill, saying it would improve transparency for customers, help avoid failed systems ending up in receivership, and better inform customers about future costs; one senator asked about PFAS contamination, receivership, and the removal of a right of first refusal, and staff explained the bill’s intent was to improve front-end notice rather than change the back-end takeover process. The committee then moved into executive session and received briefings on several bills and proposed striking amendments, including measures on distributed energy resources (HB 2296), emerging large energy use facilities (HB 2115), AI disclosures (HB 1170), waste-to-energy facilities under the Climate Commitment Act (HB 2416), low-income energy assistance (HB 1903), environmentally sustainable urban design (HB 1742), and the Spark Act AI grant program (HB 1833). Members discussed issues such as utility worker installation authority, data center load and ratepayer protections, AI provenance and disclosure requirements, waste-to-energy allowance timing, reimbursement mechanics for energy assistance, and safeguards for an AI regulatory sandbox. The committee adopted striking amendments and passed HB 2296, HB 2115, HB 1170, HB 2416, HB 1906, HB 1903, and HB 1833 out of committee, generally with due-pass recommendations and referral to Ways and Means where applicable. The committee did not take action on HB 1742. The meeting concluded with members and staff offering personal thanks and farewell remarks to the chair, who was noted to be leaving the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> were we incompetent or were we deceptive were we incompetent or were we deceptive making<01:32:36.159
• This program that was wildly, wildly not deceptive. Please be careful in your not deceptive.
• </c><03:27:23.840><c> to</c> from correctional industry sales to from correctional industry sales to
• </c><03:29:18.479><c> The</c> program sales to non-state entities.
• The program sales to non-state entities.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They chose deception. They chose delay.
• They chose deception. They chose delay.
• They chose deception. They chose delay.
• They chose deception. They chose delay.
• They chose deception. They chose delay.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the top line here is that when the Hawaii AGs filed a lawsuit against oil companies alleging deception
• <c> conducting</c><00:07:09.759><c> leading</c><00:07:10.479><c> to</c><00:07:10.720><c> the</c> deception
• uh conducting leading to the deception uh conducting leading to the climate<00:07:11.280><c> crisis.
• atmosphere research, and forecasting for weather and climate programs, and requiring increased timber sales
• </c> timber sales from our public lands. timber sales from our public lands.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary and Agriculture and Environment committees held an informational briefing on how recent federal policy changes, funding delays, cancellations, and layoffs are affecting Hawaii’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and on the legality of some of those federal actions. Chair Carl Rhodes and Chair Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing it as part of an interim series on the rule of law and Hawaii’s response to federal actions. They noted there would be no public testimony, only invited presenters, and that questions would be held until the end. No votes or formal committee actions were taken. State climate change coordinator Leah Laramie described broad impacts from federal actions, including grant cancellations, litigation over terminated funding, staff cuts at NOAA and EPA, and the effect of the federal tax and spending law she said would raise energy costs, reduce grid reliability, and threaten renewable energy and transportation projects. She highlighted the loss or expiration of incentives for EVs and other clean-energy technologies, the termination of the Solar for All program and other rescissions, and the risk to major Hawaii projects such as Carbon Smart Commodities and other energy and land conservation programs. She also said the state’s attorneys general had taken numerous climate-related legal actions, including suits challenging federal cuts and the oil companies’ role in the climate crisis. Retired Justice Michael Wilson focused on the rule of law and climate justice, arguing that Hawaii is on the front line of climate change and that fossil fuel companies pose the greatest long-term threat. He said the state lacks a comprehensive climate protection plan despite the urgency of the crisis, cited UN and scientific warnings about a limited time horizon and severe warming, and pointed to projected local harms such as sea-level rise, beach loss, infrastructure damage, and major economic losses in Waikiki. His remarks emphasized the need for stronger planning and legal accountability, especially in light of federal rollbacks and the influence of fossil fuel interests.