Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this is House Bill 55 by Representative Villio.
• This is House Bill 125. Members, this is House Bill 125 by Representative Horton.
• I'm here in support of House Bill 168. I'm here in support of House Bill 168.
• At Vote, we operate a women's transitional house called the Diamond House, and the women who have gone
• This is House Bill 280 by Representative Fontno.

Bills: HB54 , HB55 , HB125 , HB133 , HB158 , HB161 , HB168 , HB169 , HB191 , HB245 , HB280 , HB296 , HB399 , HB821 , HB995

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Keywords: juror confidentiality, public records, criminal procedure, privacy, court disclosure, sex offender, sex offense, child predator, registry, registration, notification, supervised release, probation and parole, parole, juvenile offender, victim under 13, community notification, lifetime registration, failure to register, venue

Transcript Highlights:

• Alcott, House Bill 2681 by Representative Dutton, House Bill 3165 by Representative Leach, House Bill
• 3189 by Representative Kerwin, House Bill 32389, House Bill 3189 by Representative Kerwin, House Bill
• LaHood, House Bill 3790 by Representative Morgan, House Bill 4816 by Representative Guillen, and House
• We heard House Bill 3513.
• House Bill 2492 makes critical revisions to Article 17.291 of the Code of Criminal Procedure by changing

Bills: HB 1194 , HB 1221 , HB1738 , HB1913 , HB2177 , HB2178 , HB2180 , HB2229 , HB2282 , HB2448 , HB2492 , HB2777 , HB2984 , HB3357 , HB3553 , HB3602

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: emergency protection order, protective order, magistrate, criminal procedure, victim safety, family violence, domestic violence, stalking, assault, magistrate's order, temporary protection, court order duration, defendant restrictions, Article 17.292, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, emergency restraining order, victim protection, firearm restriction, pretrial intervention, reimbursement fee

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2777 by Representative Rose, which would bar the death penalty for defendants who can prove by clear and convincing evidence that they had schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and active psychotic symptoms at the time of the offense. Rose said the bill would still hold defendants accountable through life without parole, would save money by avoiding lengthy capital litigation, and would address cases where severe mental illness was not adequately considered. Supporters from NAMI Texas, the Catholic bishops, and a forensic psychologist said the bill is narrowly tailored, consistent with neuroscience and moral principles, and would prevent executions of people whose psychosis substantially impaired reality testing. Committee members questioned how the bill interacts with existing competency and insanity law, whether the diagnosis is sufficiently defined, and whether the statute requires active psychosis at the time of the offense. An opponent argued the death penalty should remain available for juries to decide in all cases. The bill was left pending. The committee then heard House Bill 1221 by Representative Lozano, which would raise the cap on pretrial intervention program fees from $500 to $1,200. Lozano and a district attorney witness said the increase is needed because program costs have risen and the fees help make diversion programs self-sustaining, allowing first-time or low-level offenders to complete rehabilitation and potentially obtain expunction. Opponents from the Texas Fair Defense Project argued the higher fee could make diversion unaffordable for indigent defendants and undermine an important alternative to incarceration, especially where related supervision and monitoring costs already add up. Members discussed whether the fee applies only to PTI participants, how payment plans and waivers work, and whether ability to pay should be addressed more explicitly. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1738 by Representative Jones, which would repeal Penal Code Section 21.06 and related Health and Safety Code references concerning homosexual conduct. Jones said the law is unconstitutional under Lawrence v. Texas, remains harmful on the books, and has led to confusion and unnecessary costs even though it is unenforceable. Supporters said the bill simply removes outdated language and protects civil liberties, while opponents from Texas Values argued the statute still serves as a statement that homosexual conduct is unacceptable and should remain as a warning, even if unenforceable. Members debated whether the law’s remaining language is merely symbolic or still harmful, and whether other criminal statutes already cover conduct such as prostitution, incest, and offenses involving minors. The bill was left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we removed the drones at the request of a House member.
• So, we removed the drones at the request of a House member.
• So, we removed the drones at the request of a House member.
• And if somebody would mind reaching out, the House is in session.
• And I saw that Representative Butler was able to make it up from the House.

Bills: HB227 , HB454 , SB323 , HB266 , SB52 , SB53 , SB296 , HB37 , HB429 , HB93 , HB249 , HB328 , HB111 , HB132 , HB26 , SB261 , HB227 , HB454 , SB323 , HB266 , SB52 , SB53 , SB296 , HB37 , HB429 , HB93 , HB249 , HB328 , HB111 , HB132 , HB26 , SB261

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: firefighter benefits, occupational disease, line of duty, disability pension, death benefits, retirement benefits, hypertension, heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer presumption, HIV, hepatitis, municipal firefighters, state firefighters, fire districts, workers' compensation, public safety employees, post-retirement benefits, benefit eligibility cutoff, occupational illness

Bills: SB1288 , SB1705 , SB1878 , SB2019 , SB2118

Committee: Senate Local and County Government

Keywords: emergency management, federal funding, disaster relief, cost sharing, public assistance, bail reform, public funds, nonprofit organizations, political subdivisions, injunctive relief, criminal procedure, surety bond, judicial discretion, uniform bond schedule, liability insurance, judgments, insurance fund, Oklahoma, county sheriff, commissary

Transcript Highlights:

• And we'll, at this point, leave House Bill 3694. House Bill 3694 is pending.
• House Bill 3206 amends Article 35.23 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to modify jury sequestration practices
• leave House Bill 4915 pending.
• House Bill 5465.
• Why is House Bill 507 needed?

Bills: HB 115 , HB507 , HB1765 , HB1847 , HB2046 , HB2239 , HB2328 , HB2309 , HB2417 , HB2728 , HB2794 , HB3206 , HB3566 , HB3694 , HB3744 , HB4254 , HB4697 , HB4733 , HB4915 , HB5465 , HB2813 , HB115

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: habeas corpus, postconviction, criminal procedure, indigent defense, scientific evidence, legal representation, judicial power, capital felony, criminal law, death penalty, attorney qualification, training standards, law enforcement, no-knock warrant, search warrant, peace officer, attorney workload, criminal justice, caseload limits, fair representation

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair lays out House Bill 2813.
• and will leave House Bill 115 pending.
• What's the other Genesis House? Genesis House. So it opens.
• He ended up burning down her entire house.
• So if there's no objection, the chair will withdraw the substitute to House Bill 2046 and leave House

Bills: HB115 , HB 115 , HB507 , HB1765 , HB1847 , HB2046 , HB2239 , HB2328 , HB2309 , HB2417 , HB2728 , HB2794 , HB3206 , HB3566 , HB3694 , HB3744 , HB4254 , HB4697 , HB4733 , HB4915 , HB5465 , HB2813

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: public funds, lobbying, political subdivision, government spending, transparency, HB 115, taxpayer-funded lobbying, local government lobbying, county association dues, municipal lobbying, lobbyist registration, Chapter 305, Government Code Section 556.0056, Local Government Code Section 89.002, county government, city government, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, state association of counties, sheriffs association

Summary: The Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence reconvened with a quorum present and announced it would likely not vote that night because of confusion over the bill list; members were told a definitive list would be circulated the next morning and a formal meeting would be scheduled later. The chair then heard a series of bills, generally taking testimony and leaving each pending without action. House Bill 1847 would set maximum caseload standards for private attorneys handling indigent criminal appointments through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission; House Bill 2417 would expand compensation eligibility for some wrongfully imprisoned people; House Bill 2813 would require earlier and more specific victim notice of scheduled court proceedings; and House Bill 2309 would expand state and local authority in certain civil asset forfeiture cases involving human trafficking, health care fraud, and organized crime. Each bill was laid out by its author or a member, with no opposition witnesses registered, and each was left pending. The committee also heard House Bill 4733, which would require sealing records for people acquitted of charges when they were not convicted on the related allegation; House Bill 2328, which would modernize expunction service by encouraging electronic notice, setting a standardized fee when electronic service is unavailable, extending clerk retention of expunction orders, and preserving certain mental health commitment orders; and House Bill 115, which would revise Texas’s “junk science” post-conviction writ law by providing counsel, changing the relief standard, requiring written decisions, and easing procedural barriers. Testimony on HB 2328 was mixed: county clerks supported the bill as a cost-saving modernization, while legal advocates warned that permanent retention of expunction orders could undermine true expunction and create privacy risks. HB 115 drew support from innocence and defense organizations, with some concern about a provision affecting subsequent writs. All were left pending after testimony. Later, the committee heard House Bill 2046, which would allow affirmative family-violence findings for any Penal Code offense rather than only Title V offenses; testimony from a Dallas County prosecutor and a committee member emphasized that family violence can involve arson, burglary, fraud, and other non-Title V conduct, and the bill was left pending. House Bill 1765 would tighten restrictions on no-knock warrants by requiring higher-level approval, judicial review, and identifiable officers; members discussed the dangers highlighted by the Harding Street raid and similar incidents, and the bill was also left pending. The meeting ended with the chair noting that some bills had been removed from the agenda at the author’s request and that members should be prepared to finalize the vote list the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is the companion to House Bill 3636 by Representative Will Metcalf.
• It was on the local calendar but did not make it through the House.
• Senate Bill 456... ...did not make it through the House.
• These properties were then leased to individuals he knew were in need of affordable housing.
• This bill is a simple but important update to our criminal procedure statutes.

Bills: SB127 , SB456 , SB482 , SB659 , SB739 , SB816 , SB1234 , SB1666 , SB1886 , SB1980 , SB2580 , SB2611 , SB2693 , SB2776

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: child abuse, reporting obligation, statute of limitations, negligence, legal professionals, human organs, criminal penalties, physician license, medical ethics, illegal trade, smuggling, human trafficking, felony offenses, law enforcement, authorized peace officer, peace officer definition, tracking equipment, communications access, electronic surveillance, cell phone records

Summary: The committee heard and laid out a series of criminal justice bills, with public and invited testimony on restitution, juvenile justice, child abuse reporting, public-safety protections, organ trafficking, property fraud, disaster-response worker protections, fentanyl exposure, emergency data disclosure, insurance-fraud investigations, blood warrant execution, human smuggling, and TJJD advocacy access. Several measures drew support from prosecutors, clerks, law enforcement, utility companies, and victims who described real-world harms and delays in current law; opposition or caution came from civil-rights and advocacy groups on bills involving expanded criminal liability, data disclosure, and juvenile-facility access. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with the committee later voting out SB 127 favorably and placing it on the local and uncontested calendar. SB 1666 would streamline restitution payments for parole or mandatory supervision cases by requiring TDCJ to include victim information when forwarding payments, shortening the period before unclaimed funds go to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, and clarifying confidentiality and contact procedures; county clerks supported it as an efficiency measure. SB 2776 would let TJJD disclose certain information, with written consent, to support the Credible Messengers Program, and SB 127 would extend limitations periods for failure-to-report child abuse and concealment offenses, with testimony emphasizing delayed discovery of abuse and the need for accountability. SB 1980 would increase penalties for assaulting or interfering with peace officers, parole officers, and community supervision officers, and SB 456 would raise penalties for organ purchasing/trafficking and create a more specific criminal framework for the offense; both drew strong support from law enforcement and victims. The committee also heard SB 2611 on real property theft and deed fraud, which would create separate offenses for real property theft and fraud, add a ten-year limitations period, require criminal judgments to be filed in county property records, and expand restitution and title-clearing remedies. Witnesses described forged deeds, stolen church and family properties, and long, costly efforts to restore title; county clerks and prosecutors said the bill would help victims and streamline civil remedies. SB 482 would increase penalties for offenses against utility workers during declared disasters or evacuation orders, prompted by reports of threats and assaults during Hurricane Beryl; utility representatives said the bill is needed to keep mutual-aid crews coming to Texas. SB 1234 would add fentanyl to the endangerment statute for vulnerable people, while SB 816 would allow providers to disclose electronic data in immediate life-threatening situations; both drew support from prosecutors and criticism from civil-rights advocates concerned about overbreadth and liability protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, members of the House. the committee.
• A stalker has appeared at the lot since my trial, where I used to house my vans.
• He said, they're protesting at my house. Nikki and the kids are too. terrified.
• Well, I mean, thought as a former house Remember, that's a two-subject, Tam. Okay. OK.
• You are trained by your departments, by your academies, your policies and procedures. procedures allow

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

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

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:

• The House will come to order. The House will come to order.
• I call up the conference committee report on House House Bill 5246. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• houses.
• The House will stand at ease. The House will come to order. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Doorkeeper. Mr.
• The House will stand at ease.

Bills: HCR158 , HCR159 , HCR160 , HCR161 , HCR162 , HCR163 , HCR164 , HR174 , HR427 , HR790 , HR810 , HR857 , HR866 , HR882 , HR883 , HR962 , HR966 , HR1001 , HR1045 , HR1085 , HR1097 , HR1127 , HR1138 , HR1141 , HR1150 , HR1152 , HR1292 , HR1296 , HR1304 , HR1305 , HR1306 , HR1308 , HR1309 , HR1310 , HR1311 , HR1312 , HR1313 , HR1315 , HR1317 , HR1318 , HR1320 , HR1321 , HR1322 , HR1323 , HR1324 , HR1325 , HR1327 , HR1328 , HR1329 , HR1330 , HR1331 , HR1332 , HR1333 , HR1334 , HR1335 , HR1338 , HR1340 , HR1341 , HR1342 , HR1343 , HR1344 , HR1345 , HR1346 , HR1347 , HR1348 , HR1349 , HR1352 , HR1353 , HR1354 , HR1355 , HR1358 , HR1359 , HR1360 , HR1361 , HR1362 , HR1363 , HR1364 , HR1365 , HR1366 , HR1368 , HR1369 , HR1370 , HR1380 , HR1383 , HR1384 , HR1385 , HR1386 , HR1387 , HR1388 , HR1389 , HR1390 , HR1392 , HR1393 , HR1396 , HR1397 , HR1398 , HR1399 , HR1400 , HR1402 , HR1403 , HR1404 , HR1405 , HR1406 , HR1407 , HR1408 , HR1409 , HR1410 , HR1411 , HR1412 , HR1413 , HR1414 , HR1415 , HR1417 , HR1418 , HR1419 , HR1420 , HR1421 , HR1422 , HR1424 , HR1425 , HR1426 , HR1427 , HR1428 , HR1429 , HR1430 , HR1431 , HR1432 , HR1433 , HR1434 , HR1435 , HR1436 , HR1437 , HR1438 , HR1440 , HR1441 , HR1442 , HR1443 , HR1444 , HR1445 , HR1447 , HR1448 , HR1449 , HR1450 , HR1452 , HR1453 , HR1454 , HR1455 , HR1456 , HR1458 , HR1459 , HR1460 , HR1461 , HR1462 , HR1463 , HR1464 , HR1465 , HR1466 , HR1467 , HR1469 , HR1470 , HR1471 , HR1472 , HR1473 , HR1475 , HR1477 , HCR132 , HCR154 , HR17 , HR49 , HR170 , HR275 , HR355 , HR356 , HR364 , HR369 , HR672 , HR690 , HR755 , HR756 , HR759 , HR762 , HR763 , HR781 , HR785 , HR848 , HR1240 , HR1265 , HR1303 , HR1307 , HR1314 , HR1316 , HR1319 , HR1326 , HR1336 , HR1337 , HR1350 , HR1351 , HR1367 , HR1371 , HR1372 , HR1373 , HR1374 , HR1375 , HR1376 , HR1377 , HR1378 , HR1379 , HR1382 , HR1391 , HR1395 , HR1451 , HR1457 , HR1468 , HR1474 , HR1476 , SB1637 , SB2878 , HB2885 , HB2017 , HB5246 , SB8 , SB2308 , SB1405 , HB 119 , SB3059 , SB15 , SB568 , SB2900 , HB3642 , HB3909 , SB268 , HB493 , SB2217 , HB2516 , SB650 , HB2963 , SB1610 , HB705 , SB2972 , SB1540 , HB40 , SB2753 , SB1660 , SB2024 , HB1545 , HB46

Keywords: World War II, V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day, Japan surrender, atomic bomb, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, USS Missouri, Douglas MacArthur, Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Potsdam Conference, Pacific Theater, Greatest Generation, veterans, military history, commemoration, concurrent resolution, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 244 is a constitutional amendment that passed out of House Governmental Affairs on
• House Bill 1082 is very simple.
• The board opposes House Bill 1082.
• If House Bill 1082 fails and House Bill 1237 passes, the board will recommend accepting that settlement
• This is also a normal part of our procedure.

Bills: HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB244 , HB306 , HB366 , HB446 , HB473 , HB514 , HB1043 , HB1082 , SB127

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: armed security, liability, concealed carry, self-defense, security officers, property tax, blighted properties, urban rehabilitation, tax exemption, local government, financial incentives, term limits, governor, Louisiana constitution, elections, gubernatorial, constitutional convention, delegates, state election, ratification

Transcript Highlights:

• You worked on the House map.
• in the House.
• I decided to adopt the house bill that was passed out of the House as it's drawn because I believed it
• Okay, and so House Council reaches out...
• One in the House and one in the Senate.

Bills: SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB4 , HB1 , HB3 , HB20 , HB22 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , HB4 , SB2 , SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• House Resolution. House Resolution 31 lies over.
• We're now in House 7th. Introduction of House bills.
• House Bill by Representative Mena, Title IX, child custody, to establish procedures for competing custody
• favorably, House Bill 707 with amendments, House Bill 707 favorably, House Bill 728 favorably, House
• Ways and Means reports: House Bill 474 favorably, House Bill 633 with amendments, and House Bill 852

Bills: HR19 , HR20 , HR21 , HR22 , HR23 , HR24 , HR25 , HR26 , HR27 , HR28 , HR29 , HR30 , HR31 , HR32 , HR33 , HR34 , HR35 , HR36 , HR37 , HR38 , HCR15 , HCR16 , HCR17 , HCR18 , HB115 , HB208 , HB465 , HB832 , HB964 , HB965 , HB966 , HB967 , HB968 , HB969 , HB970 , HB971 , HB972 , HB973 , HB974 , HB975 , HR14 , HR15 , HR16 , HR17 , HR18 , HCR14 , SCR4 , SCR7 , SCR8 , HB362 , HB963 , HB207 , HB300 , HB331 , HB428 , HB464 , HB587 , HB618 , HB629 , HB801 , HB853 , HB891 , HB78 , HB112 , HB148 , HB149 , HB190 , HB221 , HB346 , HB354 , HB355 , HB356 , HB358 , HB384 , HB427 , HB657 , HB675 , HB716 , HB901

Keywords: HR19, House Resolution 19, Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association Day, LNLA, nursery industry, landscape industry, horticulture, green industry, environmental stewardship, beautification, sustainability, state capitol, special day resolution, commemoration, trade association, wholesale growers, landscape architects, grounds maintenance, interiorscapers, Louisiana agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• House Call the next bill, Miss Harper.
• House Bill 285 by Representative Byard.
• </c> &gt;&gt; House Bill 285 by Representative Byard.
• &gt;&gt; House Bill 285 by Representative Byard.
• House Bill 312 by Representative Hill.

Bills: HB304 , HB285 , HB312 , HB311 , SB60 , HB304 , HB285 , HB312 , HB311 , SB60

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: impoundment, driver licenses, vehicle redemption, local identification cards, law enforcement, HB285, TJ's Law, traffic infraction, traffic ticket, uniform traffic ticket and complaint, minor driver, juvenile driver, parent notification, guardian notification, emergency contact, citing agency, traffic citation, driver safety, youth safety, Alabama traffic law

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair lays out House Bill 215 and recognizes Chair Gehan to explain the bill.
• Is there anyone else who wishes to testify on, for, or against house bills?
• House Bill 142 is a straightforward and necessary fix.
• Okay, is there anyone wishing to testify on for or against House Bill 26?
• Thank you for allowing me to lay out House Bill 26.

Bills: HB26 , HB140 , HB141 , HB142 , HB215 , HB26 , HB140 , HB141 , HB142 , HB215

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: Medicaid, nutrition support, maternal health, chronic conditions, pilot program, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child protective services, child abuse investigations, child neglect, child exploitation, advisory committee, Family and Protective Services Council, council abolition, foster care, due process, investigative procedures, child welfare, parental rights, family preservation services

Transcript Highlights:

• Members were laying over House Bill 2941, House Bill 2959. House Bill 3087.
• You, chairman, House Bill 3695.
• House Bill 4339 modernizes and updates filing for combined notice on probate procedure.
• House Bill 3134 is really quite simple.
• House Bill 3321, we're going to lay over House Bill 3298 and lay over House Bill 3297.

Bills: HB4260 , HB2981 , HB3695 , HB2960 , HB3967 , HB3968 , HB4339 , HB4341 , HB4342 , HB2940 , HB4295 , HB4196 , HB3134 , HB1016

Committee: House Civil Judiciary

Keywords: workers' compensation, first responders, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, health presumption, emergency services, firefighters, peace officers, emergency medical technicians, open meetings, school boards, transparency, public access, education governance, HB3695, Oklahoma, motor vehicles, personal injury accident, traffic offense, DUI

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2158 relates to electronic notarial acts.
• House Bill 2158 adopts three of these updates.
• Well, thank you, and that concludes the testimony on House Bill 2158, and we'll go on to House Bill 2178
• Well, thank you, and that concludes the testimony on House Bill 2158, and we'll go on to House Bill 2178
• House Bill 2178 concerns court rules and procedures and revises several areas of law.

Bills: HB2158 , HB2178

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: electronic signatures, notary, digital transactions, authentication, legal documents, court rules, court procedure, civil infractions, notice of civil infraction, malicious mischief, physical damage, computer crime, digital property damage, electronic records, data destruction, computer programs, cyber damage, default judgment, payment plan, restitution

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair moves that House Bill 5695, without amendment, be reported favorably to the full House with
• Sometimes it can be a house of $300,000 versus a house a million dollars, and they pay the exact same
• But for a house, it's $10,000 impact fee plus another $5,000 per house? Yes, sir. Parks, yes, sir.
• The size of the house, you can have a 3,000-square-foot house and a 1,200-square-foot house, and they
• The size of the house, you can have a 3,000-square-foot house and a 1,200-square-foot house, and they

Bills: HB5489 , HB5695 , HB5699 , SB291 , SB292

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: impact fee, moratorium, local government, Texas legislation, infrastructure funding, municipal utility district, eminent domain, bonds, assessments, infrastructure, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Harris County, Municipal Utility District, territory exclusion, debt service taxes, property taxation, condemnation, property acquisition, real property, appraisal reports

Transcript Highlights:

• We have House Bill 305 that the chair intends to vote on at some point later.
• It's House Bill 305 by Representative Hayes, I believe. Substitute on that bill.

Bills: HB207 , HB235 , HB324 , HB449 , HB463 , HB502 , HB 1121 , HB1445 , HB1465 , HB1778 , HB1977 , HB2000 , HB2066 , HB2596 , HB207 , HB235

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, obscenity laws, visual material, anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, criminal offenses, sexually explicit material, minors, artificial intelligence, sexually explicit, doll, mannequin, robot, law enforcement, healthcare, insurance, affordable care, access

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 207 is a simple but necessary fix.
• House Bill 235, which last session passed this committee unanimously and in the House overwhelmingly,
• is House Bill 1896.
• than House Bill 449.
• And so there's nothing else on House Bill 235.

Bills: HB207 , HB235 , HB324 , HB449 , HB463 , HB502 , HB 1121 , HB1445 , HB1465 , HB1778 , HB1977 , HB2000 , HB2066 , HB2596 , HB207 , HB235

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, obscenity laws, visual material, anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, criminal offenses, sexually explicit material, minors, artificial intelligence, sexually explicit, doll, mannequin, robot, law enforcement, healthcare, insurance, affordable care, access

Transcript Highlights:

• So the chair lays out House Bill 1896 and recognizes Representative Cook to explain the bill.
• And now the Chair lays out House Bill 9, I'm sorry, Senate Bill 955 by Senator Parker and recognizes
• Meanwhile, in Code of Criminal Procedure Article 39.14, which relates to discovery, a pro se defendant
• clear, narrowly tailored public safety measure that amends Article 18B.0014 of the Code of Criminal Procedure
• It does not change the procedure for them having to go through the courts, make sure that everything

Bills: SB1099 , SB1896 , SB1980 , SB127 , SB614 , SB955 , SB1278 , SB1372 , SB1936 , SB1937 , SB2580 , SB2595 , SB2798

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: SB 1099, illegal alien, undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, immigration status, felony sentencing enhancement, criminal penalty increase, Texas Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, affirmative finding, judgment finding, deportation, public safety, immigration enforcement, sentencing reform, felony offense, first-degree felony, minimum sentence, Criminal Justice, Criminal Jurisprudence

Summary: The Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence met with a quorum and heard a series of Senate bills, generally receiving sponsor explanations and, in most cases, no public testimony. SB 2595 would create a Class B misdemeanor for harassing, threatening, or intimidating someone while intentionally concealing identity with a mask, with broad affirmative defenses for legitimate mask use; SB 1980 would increase penalties for assaulting peace officers, parole officers, and community supervision officers and add related presumptions and interference protections; and SB 1896 would require magistrates to issue emergency protective orders in certain family violence, sexual assault, stalking, and aggravated cases, with law enforcement required to provide needed information. All three were left pending. The committee also heard SB 955, which increases trafficking of persons from a second-degree to a first-degree felony when the victim was recruited from a correctional facility, and SB 614, which would let the Texas Forensic Science Commission refer dismissed complaints to the Office of Capital and Forensic Writs when they reference a prior FSC report; both were left pending. Members then heard several forensic and criminal procedure bills. SB 1372 would resolve a discovery/access conflict involving the DPS crime lab portal by limiting portal access to defense attorneys rather than defendants directly, prompting questions from members about access for pro se defendants; DPS’s chief crime lab witness testified neutrally. SB 1936 would change the LSD “abuse unit” definition for unmarked/unperforated paper from a square-measurement method to a 10-milligram weight standard, and SB 1937 would require a subject matter expert from the testing lab to participate in pretrial meetings in capital cases involving biological evidence to help identify viable testing and conserve resources. SB 2580 would lower the population threshold for sheriff’s departments to independently use tracking equipment and access certain communications from 3.3 million to 500,000, expanding the authority beyond Harris County; it was described as a public safety and emergency response measure and left pending. The committee also considered SB 2798, which would extend the statute of limitations for certain financial crimes from three years to seven years, with testimony from a Montgomery County assistant district attorney supporting the change because fraud is often discovered late. SB 1099 would increase penalties for felony offenses committed by undocumented or unauthorized aliens, but drew strong opposition from the Texas Civil Rights Project, which argued immigration is a federal matter and that the bill would create difficult and potentially unfair status determinations for local courts; members raised concerns about the lack of an expert-testimony requirement. SB 1278 would create an affirmative defense to prostitution prosecution for trafficking victims compelled by their traffickers to commit the conduct, and testimony from advocates and a member’s personal account emphasized the coercive, traumatic nature of trafficking; members discussed whether the defense should be narrower or framed as mitigation, and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 127 would extend the statute of limitations for failure to report or conceal child abuse, with members discussing mandatory reporting duties and the need to allow more time for delayed discovery of cover-ups; it too was left pending before the committee adjourned.