Transcript Highlights:

• abuse, a crime against children, rape, homicide, and sexual assault against a child.
• ><c> Treatment</c> the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment
• </c><01:54:50.000><c> abuse</c> consideration of the child abuse consideration of the child abuse registry
• child abuse registry which look at our child abuse registry which an<01:55:02.639><c> individual</c><
• We have proof of that when the child is born with these substances because of the mandated report.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• report suspected abuse or neglect.
• But it is a statutory obligation to report suspected abuse.
• they might be abused by a biological child in the family, by another foster child, by someone, a boyfriend
• So if a child is abused as a child and the abuse continues into adulthood, or they can connect adult
• We look at specific statutes dealing with child sexual abuse.

Summary: The committee held a work session on tort liability and parole, with the chair explaining that the topics were linked because criminal justice reform and state liability often intersect, especially in cases involving child welfare and corrections. Staff first outlined Washington’s tort liability framework, including the state’s broad waiver of sovereign immunity, statutes governing mandatory reporting and investigation of abuse, the childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations, and the lack of caps on non-economic damages. Staff and presenters also compared Washington to other states and noted that Washington remains among the broadest states for state liability and childhood sexual abuse claims. Presenters from the Attorney General’s office, Washington State Association for Justice, DCYF, DSHS, and DOC discussed how tort exposure has grown, especially in claims involving DCYF, historical child abuse, juvenile rehabilitation, vulnerable adults, employment discrimination, medical negligence, and negligent supervision. DCYF and AG staff said claims and payouts are rising, with many claims tied to older abuse and new theories of liability, while defense counsel emphasized the human harm behind the claims and argued that tort cases have historically driven accountability and reform. Agency witnesses said they face large volumes of old claims with limited records, rising verdicts and settlements, and staffing and systems challenges, and they highlighted efforts such as early resolution programs, electronic health records, medication-assisted treatment, and improved incident review processes. The committee then shifted to parole. Sentencing experts reviewed Washington’s move from indeterminate sentencing to the current determinate sentencing system under the Sentencing Reform Act, and explained how parole could be integrated with sentencing guidelines through different models used in other states. They also summarized Criminal Sentencing Task Force recommendations related to a determinate-plus approach for three-strikes and persistent offender laws and a second-chance review process, noting there was no consensus on those ideas. Judges from the Minority and Justice Commission and the Superior Court Judges Association said a parole system could support rehabilitation and reduce disparities if it includes data collection, fairness, transparency, due process, and meaningful judicial review; they also pointed to research suggesting parole and structured reentry can reduce recidivism and costs, while warning that access and outcomes can vary by geography and other factors.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so when we talk about unborn child and I go back to last year and unborn child could be child.
• And I think about those kids that are in situations where the abuse may not have been reported yet, but
• Whether they're struggling with mental health addiction or abuse at home, no child should be forced to
• their abuse by school survey was the first chance I had to report my abuse, but nobody connected the
• , a doctor to report abuse and nothing in this legislation stops any of those mandatory reporters who

Transcript Highlights:

• One reason for this move was federal reports indicating 10% of fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid
• Federal reports indicated 10% of fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid program, attributed to unmanaged
• Of this amount, 6.4 million was reported as fraud and abuse recoveries.
• We've included a new child care fraud report form specific to child care.
• And when it's done knowingly through reporting mechanisms, it raises serious concerns about abuse.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services convened to discuss interim charges regarding fraud, waste, and abuse in Texas human services, particularly focusing on Medicaid and childcare programs. The meeting highlighted the importance of preventing misuse of taxpayer funds, with testimony from various stakeholders emphasizing the need for increased oversight and accountability in these programs. Key points included the alarming rise in healthcare fraud in other states, the necessity for Texas to enhance its fraud prevention measures, and the potential financial repercussions of failing to meet federal compliance standards. Several committee members expressed concerns about the impact of fraud on vulnerable populations, particularly those relying on Medicaid services. Testimonies from experts underscored the effectiveness of Texas's Office of Inspector General (OIG) in combating fraud, yet pointed out existing vulnerabilities, such as inconsistent enforcement and the need for better data sharing among agencies. The discussion also touched on the challenges faced by hospice care providers, with a significant increase in the number of hospices in Texas raising concerns about quality and oversight. The committee heard from various witnesses, including representatives from health plans and advocacy organizations, who provided insights into the complexities of managing Medicaid and the importance of maintaining program integrity. The meeting concluded with a commitment to further explore legislative solutions to enhance oversight and ensure that resources are directed to those in genuine need.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is favorably reported. Thank you.
• Services for instances of child abuse and neglect.
• An exception is made for aggravated circumstances such as murder, sexual abuse, or trafficking of a child
• abuse and neglect registry.
• That this person abused or neglected a child, and you're on the list.

Bills: SB397 , SB481 , SB596 , SB760 , SB855 , SB1195 , SB1196 , SB1233 , SB1257 , SB1318 , SB1368 , SB1388 , SB1398 , SB1524 , SB1558 , SB1589 , SB1677 , SB1792 , SB2034

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Child sexual abuse investigations. We'll start with Assistant Commissioner. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• The linkage between child sexual abuse material and human trafficking is undeniable as exploitation often
• The child sexual abuse material investigation and how the AI was generated through those, yeah.
• And each and every image and video each and every image and video is a child who's been sexually abused
• Last year, my task force alone rescued 68 children in the Bay Area from ongoing child sexual abuse and

Transcript Highlights:

• She was 5 months old when the worst of the abuse was reported to police and child protection while we
• She was 5 months old when the worst of the abuse was reported to police and child protection while we
• The worst of the abuse was reported to police and child protection while we were at the emergency room
• care committee, we know that most child care providers are not abusing children and they are good, but
• </c> child care providers are not abusing child care providers are not abusing children<00:26:49.760>

Bills: HF1027 , HF2226 , HF1916 , HF1915 , HF1567 , HF1986

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:18:06.559><c> and</c> reporting of suspicions of abuse and reporting of suspicions of abuse and
• </c><02:18:15.359><c> enforcement</c> child then reported to law enforcement child then reported to law
• because we are investigating a civil act, abuse and neglect of a child in the civil realm.
• because we are investigating a civil act, abuse and neglect of a child in the civil realm.
• because we are investigating a civil act, abuse and neglect of a child in the civil realm.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• I will forward you the 2026 AI child sexual abuse material report from the Internet Watch Foundation.
• I will forward you the 2026 AI child sexual abuse material report from the Internet Watch Foundation.
• I will forward you the 2026 AI child sexual abuse material report from the Internet Watch Foundation.
• I will forward you the 2026 AI child sexual abuse material report from the Internet Watch Foundation.
• I will forward you the 2026 AI child sexual abuse material report from the Internet Watch Foundation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:47.360><c> abuse</c> help families to prevent child abuse help families to prevent child abuse
• child abuse grant uh community based child abuse prevention<00:37:55.839><c> grant?
• child welfare reporting than involved in child welfare reporting than in<00:47:59.599><c> for</c><00
• report from the child publish an annual report from the child mortality<01:25:40.400><c> review</c><01
• ><c> study</c> the child malt treatment reporting study the child malt treatment reporting study is<01

Transcript Highlights:

• Most sex abuse occurs in private settings and is committed by individuals known to the child, not by
• My career was abridged, taken away from me because my domestic abuser filed false police reports and
• Did you know in Florida that it's not required of veterinarians to report animal abuse?
• Serious offenses like arson, aggravated assault, child abuse, sex crimes, drug trafficking, and others
• Child abuse, sex crimes, drug trafficking, and others are ineligible.

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• suspected child abuse, or neglect.
• And we're all 100% opposed to any type of abuse against any child in the state of Texas.
• cases of child abuse?
• We titled it 'state-sponsored child abuse,' and we did that for a reason.
• I know students who reported abuse only to face inaction or quiet reassignment of their abuser.

Bills: HB4 , HB20

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It happens that 20 years ago, I helped start a child abuse death review team that Mike Trepper just mentioned
• And what is the child abuse death review team?
• And it happens that 20 years ago, I helped start a child abuse death review team that Mike Tupor just
• And what is the child abuse death review team, is a team that looks at all the causes of children who
• The father was not involved with the abuse and neglect because the father didn't live with the child

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a wide range of bills, with several focused on water safety, utilities, and local government transparency. CS/SB 848 on stormwater treatment was explained as clarifying water quality credits and water quality enhancement areas, and it was reported favorably after one support appearance. SB 28, a claim bill for Reginald Jackson against the City of Lakeland arising from injuries caused by a police shooting, was also reported favorably. CS/CS/SB 658 on water safety requirements for rental properties drew extensive testimony in support from child advocacy and drowning prevention advocates, who cited Florida’s high child drowning rates and the disproportionate impact on children with autism; the bill was amended to require front-end certification and remove local add-on authority, then passed favorably. CS/SB 18, a claim bill involving the estate of a deceased minor and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, was reported favorably after questions about the verdict, settlement posture, and who would receive the funds. SB 934 on areas of critical state concern was amended to remove a provision viewed as conflicting with the Live Local Act and then passed favorably. SB 1622, which creates a one-time waiver for certain late-filed financial disclosure fines, also passed favorably with support from an appearance form. SB 1264 on private schools and zoning was reported favorably after members noted ongoing concerns and planned further discussion. CS/CS/SB 260 on electric vehicle storage in towing yards was amended to narrow the bill to storage issues and cap the fee period until inspection; it drew both support and opposition from insurers, fire officials, and vehicle industry representatives, and was reported favorably. CS/CS/SB 1014, dealing with municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, was amended to limit it to residential development and clarify capacity standards, then passed favorably. CS/SB 1102 expanded the local infrastructure surtax to include body camera programs and was reported favorably after an amendment requiring voter approval. Finally, CS/SB 1724 and SB 1566, both on local government utility and budget transparency, were amended and reported favorably despite concerns from cities and counties about implementation costs and burdens.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trey's law is named for Trey Carlock, a victim of child sexual abuse while he attended a camp.
• Trey's law is named for Trey Carlock, a victim of child sexual abuse while he attended a camp.
• Trey's law is named for Trey Carlock, a victim of child sexual abuse while he attended a camp.
• /c> in your ability to abuse a purp to abuse in your ability to abuse a purp to abuse abuse<00:29:51.760
• abused a child for where one person has abused a child for years.<00:34:10.560><c> Because</c><00:34:

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of those things is also we do child death reviews, and many of the cases that we do see are child
• And it happens that 20 years ago, I helped start a child abuse death review team that Mike Trepper just
• And what is the child abuse death review team?
• The father was not involved with the abuse and neglect because the father didn't live with the child
• By your vote, SB 1622 is reported favorably. By your vote, SB 1622 is reported favorably.

Bills: S0018 , S0028 , S0260 , S0848 , S0934 , S1014 , S1102 , S1264 , S1566 , S1622 , S1724

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a wide range of bills focused on water safety, utilities, housing, transparency, and claims relief. CS/SB 848 on stormwater treatment was presented as a follow-up to prior water-quality legislation and reported favorably with one support waiver. SB 28, a claims bill for Reginald Jackson against the City of Lakeland, was also reported favorably. CS/SB 658, a bipartisan child-drowning prevention bill for rental properties, drew extensive testimony from child advocacy and drowning-prevention groups in strong support; amendments required rental license applicants to certify compliance and removed local-government add-on authority, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 18, a claims bill involving the estate of a deceased minor and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, prompted questions about settlement and responsibility but was ultimately reported favorably despite opposition from a waiver form. Several utility and infrastructure measures were considered. CS/SB 1724 would regulate municipal utility service outside city limits, limit revenue transfers, require public meetings, and cap rate differences; an amendment added gas utilities, and the bill was reported favorably after testimony from municipal utility representatives and small-county advocates. CS/SB 1014 would require municipal utilities to extend water and wastewater service to certain nearby residential properties without conditioning service on annexation; an amendment narrowed the bill to residential uses and clarified capacity and grandfathering provisions, and it passed favorably. CS/SB 1102 would allow local infrastructure surtax revenue to fund body camera programs, with an amendment making the surtax authorization prospective and requiring a new referendum; it was reported favorably. CS/SB 260 on electric-vehicle storage in towing yards was amended to focus on storage only and to tie the higher fee to the period before fire-risk inspection, then reported favorably after testimony from insurers, fire officials, and EV industry representatives. The committee also advanced education, housing, and ethics-related bills. SB 1264 would ease zoning and code barriers for small private schools and micro-schools, with supporters arguing it would expand school choice and opponents raising implementation concerns; it was reported favorably. SB 934 on Florida Keys areas of critical state concern was amended to remove a tax-exemption section that conflicted with the Live Local Act, then reported favorably. SB 1622 would provide a one-time waiver of late financial-disclosure fines under specified conditions and was reported favorably. Finally, CS/SB 1566 on local government spending and transparency required online posting of budgets and related materials, and an amendment added utility revenue reinvestment and other changes while removing DEI spending restrictions; the bill drew support for transparency but concern from small cities and counties about cost and workload, and it was reported favorably. The meeting ended with adjournment after senators recorded votes on selected bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, child abuse is not in the DSM. Domestic violence is not in the DSM.
• In fact, child abuse is constitutional.
• In fact, child abuse is not<00:17:39.360><c> in</c><00:17:39.440><c> the</c><00:17:39.520><c> DSM.
• So I would argue that there's the same argument for domestic violence and child abuse, or more so, we
• While a parent alleging domestic or child abuse by a co-parent theoretically tilts the scales of the

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um a lot of abusers or a lot of child um a lot of abusers or a lot of child predators<00:16:43.360
• Are you aware that the evidentiary criteria for making a finding of child abuse or child neglect or child
• child abuse or child making a finding of child abuse or child neglect<04:50:04.080><c> or</c><04:50:
• :50:05.680><c> a</c> neglect or child sexual abuse is a neglect or child sexual abuse is a preponderance
• um without a child abuse and neglect<05:08:14.240><c> case.

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Reporting was the final phase.
• Reporting on their national outcome measures as is dictated by the feds, SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and
• The report, the significant findings report, gets into those baselines for controls.
• care personnel, foster parents, and staff of child-caring and child-placing agencies as it relates to
• report?

Summary: The subcommittee heard two Department of Children and Families implementation updates on measures passed in prior sessions. First, DCF reviewed House Bill 633, which increased oversight of behavioral health managing entities through biennial independent audits, standardized claims-based reporting, and new monthly outcome dashboards. The department said it had awarded the inaugural audit to Ernst & Young, found no significant waste, fraud, or abuse, but identified process risks involving financial controls, claims validation, data access, and system access controls. DCF also described its transition to standardized behavioral health coding and said the new public dashboard of 11 measures is posted on its website, though members asked for easier access and for hard copies of the audit report. Members asked about how the department distinguishes Medicaid-covered services from department-funded services, how duplicate payment risks are being addressed, and whether the new reporting and audit requirements would improve oversight without disrupting services. DCF said it is the payer of last resort for uninsured or underinsured individuals, that some overlap with Medicaid is expected because Medicaid does not cover all behavioral health services, and that new claims edits and cross-checks are being built into the system. The department also said it had not found significant negative feedback from providers and that the new requirements are intended to improve transparency and accountability. DCF then updated the committee on Senate Bill 7012, covering human trafficking data collection, domestic violence center certification, limited background-screening exemptions, expanded recruitment for child welfare staff, subcontractor liability protections, a four-year treatment foster care pilot, case management efficiency recommendations, and a statewide study of residential bed capacity for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The department said several items are already complete or underway, including limited exemptions in the screening clearinghouse, while others are in procurement or rulemaking. It identified Circuits 4 and 12 as the treatment foster care pilot sites and said the pilot will launch in January 2026. Members questioned recruitment metrics, pilot timing, and report deadlines; the department said final reports are expected by January and that some dates were flexible because of procurement and implementation timelines. The meeting ended after the presentations and questions, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> report to DCF their suspicions of child report to DCF their suspicions of child abuse<00:27:29.200
• This does nothing to impinge our ability to report child abuse, to report concerns about child abuse
• <00:46:44.960><c> child</c> to report child to report child abuse,<00:46:47.440><c> to</c><00:46:47.839
• , to report concerns about child abuse, to report concerns about child abuse<00:46:49.680><c> or</c><
• </c><00:46:51.440><c> and</c> abuse or suspicions of child abuse and abuse or suspicions of child abuse

Transcript Highlights:

• And it turns out, while most people think of CPS mainly related to abuse, the majority of the reports
• We are matching the definition to the federal definition in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment
• Yes, come on up. criminal cases involving child abuse and child homicide for nearly all of my career.
• abuse.
• Do people read state law before they report child abuse? I would think not, pardon me, Mr.

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration