Transcript Highlights:

• This is an important distinction, as it could affect how we plan and allocate resources moving forward
• This continues to signify the ongoing efforts and resources allocated towards border security operations
• Chair: Yes, it's imperative that we allocate the necessary resources to ensure all our locations are
• It also allowed them to prioritize direct services and allocate their time and resources more effectively
• It also allowed them to prioritize direct services and allocate their time and resources more effectively

Bills: SB1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees. DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.

Transcript Highlights:

• they celebrate Spring by ta resources they celebrate Spring by ta trees<00:37:58.240> collecting<
• The Department of Natural Resources serves as that trustee for the 2.5 million acres of school trust
• serves as that trustee for the Resources serves as that trustee for the 2.5<01:12:04.719> million
• This amount is allocated among the qualifying schools in proportion to the number of students served
• This amount is allocated among the qualifying schools in proportion to the number of students served

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• purchase a long-term care policy for their needs because they've got the means, they've got the resources
• ; on the other end, people who don't have means and resources, the social safety network is there to
• <00:01:39.360> on the means they've got the resources on the means they've got the resources
• the social safety means and resources the social safety network<00:01:44.200> is<00:01:44.600
• Sixty percent of our slots are allocated or earmarked for families who have a demonstrated need.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we did have a back-of-the-budget cut for natural and cultural resources.
• I think we did have a back-of-the-budget cut for natural and cultural resources.
• I think we did have a back-of-the-budget cut for natural and cultural resources.
• <00:27:13.240> okay um natural and cultural resources okay um natural and cultural resources
• not enough to cover what was allocated not enough to cover what was allocated by<03:52:33.279>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee met to review Division One of a very large budget package, with the chair explaining that the budget was being analyzed in three divisions over multiple days. Members first discussed procedure, including when amendments and line-item votes would be taken, and agreed to proceed with the division’s presentation before questions. Representative Maguire then outlined the division’s approach as a series of tradeoffs to close a large budget gap, emphasizing cuts, some revenue changes, and a focus on overall spending levels as well as individual reductions. The presentation covered a wide range of agencies and policy areas. Major proposed changes included cuts or eliminations to several boards and commissions viewed as costly or duplicative, such as the Housing Appeals Board, Board of Tax and Land Appeals, Human Rights Commission, Commission on Aging, Office of the Child Advocate, and the Personnel Appeals Board, with some functions consolidated into other boards. The division also proposed back-of-the-budget cuts to the Information Technology Department, Judicial Branch, Justice Department, Retirement System, Corrections, and Environmental Services, along with fee increases in several areas. Other notable items included ending marketing for Paid Family Leave, reducing job advertising and tourism promotion, defunding the Arts Council, moving liquor enforcement functions out of the Liquor Commission, and shifting some funds such as the College Savings Commission money to Division Two. Several members questioned specific cuts, especially the elimination of the Council on Aging, the reduction in regional planning commission grants, and the large cut to tourism advertising. Maguire defended the choices as necessary budget tradeoffs, arguing that some programs duplicated work done elsewhere, that regional planning grants were not among the most essential items, and that tourism promotion was a form of spending he viewed skeptically. He also explained that the public defender’s budget was partially restored after a credible claim of a governor’s budget error, and that the committee would continue refining corrections-related cuts because the House was only halfway through the budget process and further changes could still occur in the Senate and conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jason Ml, Department of Natural Resources.
• I'm Ml, Department of Natural Resources.
• <00:04:05.040> and talking about groundwater resources and talking about groundwater resources
• strategies for managing this resource. strategies for managing this resource.
• and natural resource trust fund all and natural resource trust fund all contribute<00:10:09.680>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:35.600> toward were able to put some resources toward were able to put some resources
• They're a great resource.
• <01:21:04.400> at fund which is one of the resources at fund which is one of the resources
• <01:23:59.280> below developers compete and we allocate below developers compete and we allocate
• to us on a sort of per capita allocates to us on a sort of per capita allocation<01:27:10.960> and

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are resources that could otherwise be allocated to funding that would benefit the education, safety
• These are resources that could otherwise be allocated to funding that would benefit the education, safety
• These are resources that could otherwise be allocated to funding that would benefit the education, safety
• <01:30:49.320> resources<01:30:49.840> where<01:30:50.000> they're to allocate
• resources where they're to allocate resources where they're needed<01:30:50.560> most<01:30:50.840

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• resource protection and development. resource protection and development.
• of Natural and Cultural Resources. of Natural and Cultural Resources.
• the Department of Natural Resources. the Department of Natural Resources.
• allocates funds to educate those kids. allocates funds to educate those kids.
• net and find some additional resources. net and find some additional resources.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments. Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses. The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of the timing of our funding process, we would be able to allocate these resources within this
• resources have financed infrastructure resources have financed more<00:14:09.600> than<00:14:
• c> this allocate these resources within this allocate these resources within this calendar<00:14:
• particularly thankful to see resources particularly thankful to see resources for<00:18:31.200><
• local affordable housing aid resources local affordable housing aid resources in<00:32:50.159>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Recognizes this behavior, provides resources to an individual.
• And here's just some resources.
• And then you've got the generating resources themselves.
• Generating resources, very similar issues.
• And that's where that question about how do you allocate the cost of those new resources comes in.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional resources for technical assistance.
• Are y'all here as resource witnesses?
• spent on water management is going to be for conservation, water reuse, and other surface water allocation
• The process is extremely important, and as it pertains to the board, we want to give them all the resources
• It matters in order to have a successful project to address risk allocation appropriately, because if

Bills: SB7

Keywords: water infrastructure, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, water supply, environmental sustainability, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:23.679> ratably million which will be allocated ratably million which will be allocated
• billion that the governor uh allocated billion that the governor uh allocated and<00:31:04.720><
• Well, only when we do the ENT advancement technology allocation?
• we give a allocate a billion dollars. we give a allocate a billion dollars.
• So if resources and and and um funding.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:38.279> we know that without adequate resources we know that without adequate resources
• advocate for this pool of resources advocate for this pool of resources covering<00:26:53.080>
• <00:31:31.720> of expanding the wealth and resources of expanding the wealth and resources
• The legislature could help expand the success of this program by allocating additional resources for
• > down allocating additional resources for down allocating additional resources for down payment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:06.560> supposedly uh where they have allocated supposedly uh where they have allocated
• <00:12:08.720> around they're supposed to be allocating around they're supposed to be allocating
• <00:12:11.680> they're<00:12:12.160> allocating $26 billion per year. they're allocating
• money that's allocated. money that's allocated.
• I appreciate that very much. is a wonderful resource. So, um, is a wonderful resource.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its study of the cost of special education, with the chair emphasizing that the group needs to narrow its focus over the coming year toward specific cost drivers, including the IEP process, Medicaid, charter schools, and EFAs. Members reviewed a draft first report due November 1 and agreed it would be a brief synopsis of prior meetings, with minutes attached. The September 30, 2025 minutes were amended to correct the number of federally funded department staff from 234 to 23, and to revise language about Senator Sullivan’s comments so they reflected concerns about IEP advocates and fees charged to families rather than support for the concept. The amended minutes were then approved unanimously, with abstentions noted for members who were absent. The main presentation focused on how special education costs are handled for students attending charter schools. The DOE representative said there are 804 students with disabilities in charter schools across 88 of the state’s 176 districts, and that the district of residence remains responsible for all services and costs. She explained that students must meet IDEA criteria through district evaluation and parent consent, and that services are determined through individual IEP meetings rather than by a blanket charter-school decision. Members asked how those costs are tracked, whether any students are merely “monitored,” and whether districts separately identify charter-school special education expenses; the answer was that most districts fold those costs into their overall special education budget, though some may break them out as a line item. The discussion then turned to transportation and mileage costs for staff providing services at charter schools. Testimony indicated that districts may use their own staff, contract staff, or contract with a charter school for certified services, and that travel costs are often either built into contracts or absorbed as part of staff time rather than separately reimbursed. Members questioned whether mileage is reimbursed when staff travel to distant charter schools and whether those costs can be isolated in district budgets; the response was that practices vary by district and are not usually broken out by special education function. Several members argued this makes it difficult to determine the true cost of delivering special education, especially given New Hampshire’s model in which the district of residence pays regardless of where the charter school is located. The chair noted the complexity of the system and compared it to the state’s separate tuition and transportation approach for career and technical education centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• So on the left there, DOE HALU allocations and conditional commitment.
• I think this is my last slide on HALU allocation or the kind of the front end.
• And we're surrounded, of course, in this region by world-class mineral resources.
• Resources, including rocks, soils, and even water.
• Stop at the Department of Mineral Resources, talk to NRC.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think there are even more resources than that, but I think that that gives you the best picture
• The public is right to demand results and accountability in homelessness and the funding allocated to
• And in Fresno, we hope we can be a resource as this discussion continues. Thank you so much.
• We don't receive that amount in HAP resources.
• In addition, it helps you leverage for more resources.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on California’s homelessness funding, focusing on the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention (HAP) Grant and the Encampment Resolution Grant Program. HCD described new accountability requirements, including regional action plans, stronger reporting and expenditure conditions, housing-element compliance, encampment response plans, and public dashboards that track fiscal spending, service outcomes, and encampment resolution status. Officials said the goal is to use the data to identify underperforming grantees, provide technical assistance, and, if needed, withhold or reallocate funds. Local officials from San Diego, Fresno, and Santa Cruz said the programs have helped expand shelter, outreach, and permanent housing, and that state dollars have leveraged local and federal resources. Mayor Todd Gloria said San Diego has used HAP to expand shelter and safe sleeping options, reduce downtown encampments, and increase housing production, but argued the state’s new accountability website is too high-level and does not fully reflect countywide conditions, behavioral health outcomes, or the role of continuum-of-care partners. Fresno officials said HAP and other state funds helped the city add shelter beds and reduce homelessness, while Santa Cruz emphasized that state funding helped build local coordination and draw in federal vouchers. Members pressed the panel on whether HAP is actually reducing homelessness, what the best success metrics should be, and whether the state is getting full, usable data from grantees and subcontractors. Several members asked for more granular jurisdiction-level reporting, better tracking of nonprofit spending, and clearer measures beyond point-in-time counts and “people served.” HCD said it is still improving HMIS participation and data quality, but can already show outcomes such as exits to permanent housing and returns to homelessness. The hearing ended with broad agreement that transparency is important, but disagreement remained over the best measures of success and how much emphasis should be placed on housing, prevention, shelter, and treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:21.680> from funding buring critical resources from funding buring critical resources
• resources where they're needed most, such as addressing the mental health needs in schools, career and
• resources where they're needed most, such as addressing the mental health needs in schools, career and
• Community education fund balances are not excess funds; they are carefully managed resources dedicated
• resources resources dedicated<00:51:46.839> to<00:51:47.160> specific<00:51:47.680>

Bills: HF6, HF52, HF53

Keywords: education, literacy, science of reading, school performance, funding flexibility, innovation zones, equity and inclusion, HF52, New Germany, wastewater treatment, wastewater facility, sewer infrastructure, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, Public Facilities Authority, municipal infrastructure, water quality, sanitation, sewage treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:47.280> Blake in Enterprise employeer resources Blake in Enterprise employeer resources
• So we're also putting resources directly into improving the security of our systems.
• <00:17:38.799> to months um we are also now resourced to months um we are also now resourced
• um and didn't always have the resources um and didn't always have the resources it<00:20:40.960>
• it's currently proposed to be going, and that's uh for our illegal immigration allocation.

Bills: HF10

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Natural resources.
• Reported from Natural Resources with amendments.
• Reported favorably from Natural Resources.
• Reported from Natural Resources with amendments.
• Reported from Natural Resources with amendments.

Bills: HR218, HR219, HR220, HR221, HR222, HCR91, HCR92, HCR93, HR210, HR211, HR212, HR213, HR214, HR215, HR216, SCR29, SCR38, SB100, HR171, HCR49, HCR65, SCR23, HB276, HB508, HB512, HB599, HB632, HB656, HB998, HB1052, HB1084, HB1171, HB1193, HB1194, HB1204, HB1209, HB1250, SB2, SB19, SB24, SB50, SB70, SB96, SB101, SB103, SB104, SB114, SB122, SB159, SB160, SB173, SB180, SB182, SB260, SB412, SB418, SB424, SB442, SB460, SB476, HCR41, HCR76, HCR77, HCR63, HCR69, HCR86, SCR19, SCR3, SCR6, SCR18, HB64, HB68, HB92, HB130, HB167, HB227, HB243, HB321, HB335, HB398, HB492, HB624, HB689, HB708, HB804, HB906, HB926, HB955, HB968, HB969, HB978, HB985, HB1005, HB1029, HB1069, HB1077, HB1095, HB1104, HB1107, HB1187, HB1203, HB1217, HB1220, HB730, HB225, HB175, HB198, HB437, HB457, HB488, HB646, HB763, HB909, HB971, HB981, HB1066, HB1089, HB1125, HB1154, HB1231, HB1246, HB1248, HB1249, SB47, SB82, SB106, SB206, SB210, SB248, SB305, SB376, SB397, SB441, HCR32, HB59, HB617, HB897, HB911, HB1223, HB798, HB824, HB989, HB1140, HB1166, HB1244, HB901, HB79, HR20, HR74, HB284, HB306, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB996, HB1035, HB1113, HB1180, HB1234, HB1240, SB89

Keywords: EJ Fields, Shreveport, Louisiana, gospel music, commendation, resolution, honorary resolution, Billboard Gospel Airplay, Mediabase Gospel Airplay, Mercy Endureth, music award, ministry, artist recognition, cultural heritage, spiritual heritage, African American gospel, local hero, state commendation, St. Charles Parish, parish day

Summary: The House met with 89 members present and began with prayer, the pledge, and routine journal and leave requests. The early part of the session was largely ceremonial, with multiple personal privilege remarks recognizing visiting groups and special days at the Capitol, including St. Bernard Parish Day, Gulf States Renewable Energy Industries Association Day, ARPEC members, retired public servant Barney Arsenault, Deaf History Month, Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, Young Farmers and Ranchers, Louisiana Housing Corporation participants, and Louisiana Hospital Day. The chamber also received Senate messages, including concurrence in several House concurrent resolutions, Senate passage of a number of bills, and a list of Senate resolutions lying over. The House then moved through a long series of resolutions and bills, many of them adopted without objection. Among the measures approved were resolutions designating or commending various observances and groups, and bills addressing inmate documentation upon release, court filings on letter-sized paper, safe harbor protections for trafficking victims, public benefits verification, travel meal reimbursement limits for state employees, the Governor’s Task Force on Impaired Driving, school emergency operation plans, justice of the peace jurisdiction in East Baton Rouge Parish, unaffiliated voter participation in party primaries, electronic monitoring rules, crime victims’ compensation terminology, the indigent defender fund threshold for small municipalities, sex offender identification procedures, the Office of State Public Defender, microbrewery special-event permits, alternative power sources for nursing facilities, relay attack device penalties, and a capital-case intellectual disability bill. Several of these passed overwhelmingly; some were temporarily returned to the calendar or tabled after passage. A few bills drew more discussion. HB 335 on citizenship verification for public benefits passed 77-17. HB 398, limiting meal reimbursements for state travel to GSA rates with an exception process, passed 62-32 after questions about scope and lodging. HB 906 on presidential preference primary qualification and party rules for unaffiliated voters passed 68-19. HB 897, protecting health data collected by pregnancy centers and imposing fines for unauthorized disclosure, passed 94-0 after an amendment and questions about its application. HB 1107 on intellectual disabilities in capital cases passed 75-11 after amendments informed by disability advocates. HB 1187, allowing Citizens Property Insurance to direct certain emergency assessment overages to the Fortify Homes Program or reserves, passed 87-9. HB 1220 on the State Board of Medical Examiners passed 95-0. The House also reconsidered and successfully revived HB 225 after suspending the rules, and several bills were returned to the calendar for later consideration, including HB 689 before it was later brought back and passed 84-7 after amendment. The session concluded with notice of additional Senate messages and upcoming floor scheduling.

Transcript Highlights:

• The original um The original allocation came through the B11 process for administration purposes.
• So, you'd think there'd be pressure to get the money allocated.
• Chairman, I'm moving over to page five of our document, and that's the allocation formula.
• to and gave that as a base allocation to each county.
• They would like to have the funding allocated by September.

Keywords: 916, all