Transcript Highlights:

• Now this session, they seek to build upon past efforts.
• I wanted to clarify one common misperception about the Texas Penal Code when the Penal Code references
• I went through and ran the offense through our internal system.
• I had worked years. to build. My entire life collapsed while trying to seek justice.
• And help build the trust back. With that victim as well.

Bills: HB47, HB1552, HB1686, HB1953, HB2151, HB2355, HB2582, HB2697, HB2895, HB3073, HB3418, HB47

Keywords: sexual assault, victim rights, forensic examination, medical care, trauma-informed care, crime victims compensation, evidence retention, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, digital services, reporting requirements, children's protection, sex offender registration, indecent assault, educator-student relationship, criminal justice, legislation, crime victims, compensation fund, information disclosure

Transcript Highlights:

• If you read the Civil Practice Remedies Code, the Civil Code, and the Texas rules of evidence, what it
• So, you know, we were... ...looking at land to buy together to build each other's houses, to build me
• That's CPT code. So for all procedural codes, we choose between the 80th and 90th percentile.
• You don't even do it by CBT code. It's not based on CBT code. So, what about procedure?
• You don't do procedure-related coding at all? No, we do the coding and billing.

Bills: SB 30, SB 517, SB 1313, SB 1314, SB 1316, SB 1541, SB 1698, SB 1845, SB 1860, SB 2420, SB 2429

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs convened to discuss several critical pieces of legislation including SB30 and SB38. Senator Betancourt introduced a committee substitute for SB38 which underwent a smooth adoption process, moving it favorably toward the Senate. The meeting featured a mix of invited testimonies where both proponents and opponents took the floor. One notable highlight included a testimony from Melissa Casey, who criticized the current legal state as prone to fraud and detrimental to both insurers and the public at large, contending that it inflated insurance costs across the board. The discussions delved deeply into the implications of the bills on judicial processes and potential insurance ramifications, with spirited debates surrounding issues of non-economic damages and jury rights. The atmosphere remained engaged as committee members heard varied perspectives on the bills, showcasing a robust democratic process. The meeting underscored the importance of public testimony in shaping legislation, ensuring that multiple voices were considered as the committee pressed on towards making decisions that affect the legal landscape of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of these is Text to Family Code Chapter 32.003.
• However, I'm not so clear on what expenses are under the Family Code.
• In the Family Code, is it possible to be...?
• There are several sections of this bill that build on legislation from 2023.
• It removes an archaic provision in the Estates Code that is not used.

Bills: HB368, HB3311, HB1734, HB2495, HB2716, HB793, HB3376, HB2524, HB3421, HB3446, HB3181

Keywords: electronic devices, family violence, criminal prosecution, protective orders, tracking, harassment, family allowance, decedent's estate, surviving spouse, minor children, inheritance, child support, maintenance, HB 1734, Family Code, Section 155.207, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, SAPCR, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, jurisdiction transfer

Transcript Highlights:

• actual bill on line 17 and well on line 18 where it talks about... under Section 154.015 of the Family Code

Bills: HB368, HB3311, HB1734, HB2495, HB2716, HB793, HB3376, HB2524, HB3421, HB3446, HB3181

Keywords: electronic devices, family violence, criminal prosecution, protective orders, tracking, harassment, family allowance, decedent's estate, surviving spouse, minor children, inheritance, child support, maintenance, HB 1734, Family Code, Section 155.207, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, SAPCR, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, jurisdiction transfer

Bills: SB14, SB217, SB586, SB856, SCR12, SCR24, SB 14

Keywords: regulatory reform, state agencies, efficiency, rulemaking, judicial review, SB 217, Historic Texas Freedmen's Cemetery Designation Program, Texas Historical Commission, Freedmen's cemetery, freed slave burial site, cemetery designation, historic cemetery, African American history, Black cemetery, burial grounds, cemetery preservation, historical marker, medallion, property owner notice, adjacent landowners

Transcript Highlights:

• However, as I said, this language is in 17.028B of the Code of Criminal Procedures. and I'm confident
• Lacey Malone is a junior at Tarleton. and is a legislative intern in my office.

Bills: SJR 5, SJR 36, SJR 5, SJR 5, SR 105, SR 121, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28

Keywords: bail, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, public safety, constitutional amendment, school safety, mental health, emergency response, education policy, law enforcement, SR 121, Senate Resolution 121, Pete Alfaro, Pedro Cuellar Alfaro, Pedro Alfaro, Baytown, Texas Senate tribute, in memory, memorial resolution, condolence resolution

Transcript Highlights:

• which would conform Minnesota's tax code which would conform Minnesota's tax code to<00:41:03.839
• international even a regional level. international even a regional level.
• Whether you build, create, and build, there are going to be some parts of that.
• code recently made to research and experimentation expensing provisions.
• code recently made to research and experimentation expensing provisions.

Bills: HF3127, HF3816, HF3814, HF3815, HF3817

Keywords: taxation, pass-through entity, qualifying owner, partnership, S corporation, tax return, corporate franchise tax, individual income tax, research expenditures, federal compliance, Minnesota Statutes, income tax, corporate tax, section 179, federal conformity, HF3815, Minnesota taxes, tax conformity, Internal Revenue Code, IRC conformity

Bills: HB155, HB155

Keywords: homestead exemption, disabled veterans, tax relief, annual verification, property tax, state holidays, federal holidays, public holidays, legal holidays, office closures, state employees, personal leave, compensatory leave, bank closures, school closures, Mardi Gras, Mobile County, Baldwin County, Rosa Parks Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Transcript Highlights:

• Code Chapter 87, and go to page six.
• Internally on those machines.
• So if you go to page two, there's a section in the code, 85.5.
• There's a section in the code, 85.032.
• Where is that in the code? Paper code?

Bills: HB311, SB447, SB505, SB2217, SB2753

Keywords: voter registration, electronic, Texas election law, Signature verification, DPS, internet application, Texas Election Code, signature verification, online application, data security, electronic application, Department of Public Safety, information security, electronic voter registration, voting technology, voter access, state election laws, digital signature, election irregularities, audit

Summary: The committee heard several election-related bills. SB 447 would let the City of Mission in Hidalgo County permanently move its municipal elections from May to the uniform November election date if it chooses. The bill was described as permissive and intended to increase turnout and reduce costs. Mission’s mayor testified in support, saying voters had already approved the change by a wide margin in a charter amendment election. The bill was left pending after no objection. SB 2217 focused on standardizing election data reporting and reconciliation across counties to improve transparency and comparability. Testimony was generally supportive of the goal, but Dr. Laura Presley and others flagged technical issues, including a discrepancy between a three-ballot mismatch threshold in existing law and a 1% threshold in part of the bill, plus a definition issue involving central accumulators. Supporters said consistent auditing and reconciliation would help election integrity, while the bill was also left pending. The committee then took up SB 2753, a major proposal to create a continuous in-person voting period that would combine early voting and Election Day into one uninterrupted process, with precinct consolidation and other changes. Supporters said it could simplify administration, reduce equipment changes, and improve security by using one set of machines. Opponents and neutral witnesses raised concerns about cost, staffing, ballot security, reporting changes, weekend voting, and whether the bill was ready for implementation; several urged a pilot or study instead. The committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. SB 505 would create a process for election workers, candidates, party officials, and measure proponents or opponents to request explanations of election irregularities, with escalation to the Secretary of State for audit or enforcement if responses were unsatisfactory. Supporters said it would provide a way to resolve irregularities and restore confidence, while opponents argued it was too broad, lacked guardrails against abuse, and could be used by partisan actors to pressure counties. The bill was left pending. Finally, HB 311 would expand Texas’s online voter registration system to first-time registrants and others, with supporters citing efficiency, lower costs, and broader access, and opponents raising concerns about signature verification and implementation details. Testimony was cut short because of the session deadline, and the bill had not been disposed of in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Code chapter 87, and go to page six.
• Internally on those machines.
• So if you go to page two, there's a section in the code, 85.5...
• There's a section in the code, 85.032.
• Where is that in the code, paper code?

Bills: HB311, SB447, SB505, SB2217, SB2753

Keywords: voter registration, electronic, Texas election law, Signature verification, DPS, internet application, Texas Election Code, signature verification, online application, data security, electronic application, Department of Public Safety, information security, electronic voter registration, voting technology, voter access, state election laws, digital signature, election irregularities, audit

Summary: The House Committee on Elections met with a quorum present and heard several election-related bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The first measure, SB 447, would allow the City of Mission to move its municipal elections from May to November on a one-time, permanent basis. Supporters, including Mission’s mayor, said voters had already approved the change by a wide margin and argued it would improve turnout and reduce costs. The bill was left pending after no objection. The committee then heard SB 2217, which was described as a transparency measure to standardize election data reporting and reconciliation across counties. Testimony focused on a technical issue involving discrepancy thresholds for electronic voting system reconciliation, with one witness urging the bill be aligned with existing law’s “more than 3” standard rather than a 1% threshold, and another suggesting a definition fix. The bill was left pending. Members also heard SB 2753, a major proposal to create a continuous in-person voting period by combining early voting and election day into one uninterrupted period, with a committee substitute making it a pilot and permissive. Supporters said it could simplify administration and improve security, while opponents warned it would increase costs, require more staffing and equipment, delay results, and create logistical problems for counties. The committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 505 would let certain election stakeholders request explanations of irregularities from election officials and, if unresolved, escalate the matter to the Secretary of State for audit or possible conservatorship. Supporters framed it as a tool for accountability and transparency, while opponents called it overly broad and vulnerable to abuse. The bill was left pending. The committee also took up HB 311, which would expand online voter registration to first-time registrants and direct state agencies to develop a pathway for Texans without a driver’s license to register online. Supporters argued it would modernize the process, reduce errors, and save money, while opponents said first-time applicants still need a wet signature and raised concerns about signature verification and implementation. Due to the late hour and floor deadline, testimony was cut off, the names of remaining witnesses were read into the record, and the bill was left pending before the committee adjourned.

Bills: HB 16, HB 1618, HB 2692, HB 2712, HB 2970, HB 3609, HB 3628

Keywords: water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control, flood management, water quality, conservation district, bonds, utility rates, ratemaking, water services

Bills: HB 16, HB 1618, HB 2692, HB 2712, HB 2970, HB 3609, HB 3628

Keywords: water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control, flood management, water quality, conservation district, bonds, utility rates, ratemaking, water services

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 441 builds on prior initiatives, which criminalize non-consensual disclosure of intimate
• This is cleanup bill for what has been characterized as creepy code.
• These were all passed during that American Law Institute model. code adoption.
• And let's start by repealing these defenses and cleaning up this code. Thank you. Thank you.
• I've got books with QR codes that take... you to sex shops and sex videos.

Bills: SB20, SB1621, SB412, SB441, SB442

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, visual material, artificial intelligence, criminal penalties, law enforcement, defense against prosecution, obscenity, judicial officer, deepfake, deep fake, synthetic media, AI-generated content, machine learning, nonconsensual pornography, revenge porn, sexually explicit media, intimate images, digital manipulation, visual depiction

Transcript Highlights:

• But if we look to Genesis for these definitions, then the International Space Station would be drowning
• They would make the choice based on their internal organs.
• And but they're deciding; the parents decide based on their internal organs.
• It's always been based on the internal reproductive system. Right?

Bills: HB45, HB79, SB79

Keywords: Medicaid, colorectal cancer, screening tests, noninvasive tests, preventive care, off-label, pharmacists, medical treatment, state board of pharmacy, employment protection, sex-based terminology, gender identity, male, female, man, woman, boy, girl, single-sex spaces, women's rights

Bills: HB611, HB897, HB902, HB931, HB1030, HB1092, HB1100, HB1118, HB1138, HB1143, HB1160, HB1185, HB1216

Keywords: pregnancy help centers, healthcare services, licensure, Department of Health, medical services, counseling, regulatory compliance, public health, healthcare data, privacy, pregnancy services, confidentiality, client rights, Louisiana Pregnancy and Baby Care Initiative, trauma-informed, child education, mental health, training program, adverse childhood events, religious instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• Philip Morris International, who is pushing this legislation, offers the most well-known brands of these
• director of Southeast External Affairs. the director of Southeast External Affairs for Philip Morris International
• In 2021, when we put this in place, we were going to build both these prisons for 785 million.

Bills: SB282, SB300, HB72, HB396, SB282, SB300, HB72, HB396

Keywords: virtual currency, cryptocurrency, tax exemption, state tax law, digital assets, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, business incentives, economic impact, firefighter, license plate, fees, funds distribution, support programs, memorial, disabled veterans, property tax exemption, debt-to-income ratio, homestead, veterans affairs

Bills: HB130, HB190, HB123, HB250, HB130, HB190, HB123, HB250

Keywords: HB130, Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists, Sunset Law, sunset review, licensure board, professional geologists, geology, geologist licensing, board appointments, congressional district representation, gubernatorial appointments, state boards and commissions, professional licensing, regulatory board, Alabama Code 34-41-4, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, mining industry, petroleum industry, geological sciences

Transcript Highlights:

• SCR38 from the Subcommittee on International Relations.
• And then, two, I never voted for the Code of Ethics 10.5 rules.
• My job, which I spent my life building.
• And that is what our code of conduct addresses.
• Of our code.

Bills: SB1361, SB2105, SB2690, SB2713, SCR38, SB2637, SB2881

Keywords: SB 1361, Texas disaster recovery loan, small business loan, micro-business loan, community development financial institution, CDFI, economic disaster assistance, post-disaster financing, business recovery fund, Texas Economic Development Bank, zero-interest loan, working capital, payroll support, health benefits, job retention, declared disaster, small business relief, microenterprise, franchise exclusion, private equity-backed business

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding the question on the elections, we follow the Texas Election Code.
• It's a very fine, delicate balance because we are, as you mentioned, building desalination, and that
• simplified complaint process specifically for disputes filed under existing provisions of the Water Code
• burdened by district regulation that goes beyond what is authorized under Chapter 36 of the Water Code
• The committee substitute changes Section 562.051 of the Local Government Code to narrow the scope of

Bills: HB3115, HB5671, HB5693, SB790, SB1055, SB1302, SB1504, SB1625, SB1663, SB2692

Keywords: Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater, water wells, domestic well, livestock well, exempt well, metering device, well meter, groundwater conservation district, Special District Local Laws Code, Water Code, Section 36.117, groundwater regulation, water rights, aquifer management, municipal utility, retail public utility, groundwater export, water supply contract, election

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on a series of water, utility, and groundwater-related bills. Early items included HB 5693, which would let Drainage District 7 hold board elections in November of odd-numbered years when a countywide election is occurring, and HB 5671, which would update the Johnson County Special Utility District by clarifying board eligibility, allowing bond issuance, and removing redundant TCEQ approval language to reduce costs and delays. Both bills were left pending after brief testimony from bill sponsors and local witnesses. The committee also heard SB 1504, which would update the Gulf Coast Authority to allow video-conference participation in meetings, and SB 1302, aimed at closing a TCEQ permitting loophole that allowed dischargers with prior denials or suspensions to reapply through an automated process without meaningful review. SB 2692 drew substantial discussion: it would change the signature threshold for outside-city-limits customers appealing municipal utility rates to the PUC by customer class. Valero supported the bill as a way to avoid requiring large-volume users to gather signatures from unrelated residential customers, while the City of Corpus Christi opposed it, arguing that lowering the threshold to one customer could trigger expensive appeals costing $500,000 to $1 million. A PUC witness said such cases are increasing and that the agency would need additional staff under the fiscal note. SB 790, creating a simplified PUC complaint process for small water and wastewater billing disputes, and SB 1663, expanding TCEQ notice requirements for nearby residents when groundwater contamination is discovered, were also heard and left pending. Additional bills included HB 3115, clarifying that the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District cannot require meters on exempt domestic or livestock wells; SB 1055, raising the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District’s production fee cap from 1 cent to 7 cents per 1,000 gallons; and SB 1625, requiring private water and wastewater utilities to report cybersecurity incidents to TCEQ and DIR. The committee then took up pending business and adopted a substitute for SB 7, which made several changes to water fund use, eminent domain coordination, and EDAP-related provisions, and voted 10-0 to report it favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2347, a county water conservation program bill, and reported it favorably 9-1. HB 5675 and SB 2476 were each reported favorably 10-0. The meeting concluded with adjournment.

Bills: HB3115, HB5671, HB5693, SB790, SB1055, SB1302, SB1504, SB1625, SB1663, SB2692

Keywords: Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater, water wells, domestic well, livestock well, exempt well, metering device, well meter, groundwater conservation district, Special District Local Laws Code, Water Code, Section 36.117, groundwater regulation, water rights, aquifer management, municipal utility, retail public utility, groundwater export, water supply contract, election