Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:55.480> We process or industrial storm water.
• We process or industrial storm water.
• Training our retirement contributions.
• Training does<00:23:40.240> matter,<00:23:40.760> too.
• Section 5 is the meat of the bill, if you will.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Bills: HB14, HB 106, HB146, HB267, HB274, HB 1127, HB1359, HB1393, HB1584, HB1640, HB1710, HB2152, HCR101, HJR8, HR51, HB106, HB146, HB267, HB274, HJR8, HR51

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund

Transcript Highlights:

• learning how the legislative process learning how the legislative process works.<03:30:06.200>
• can do to help them with that process can do to help them with that process and<03:30:41.440>
• the process. the process.
• Uh we are rebuilding our process.
• ,<06:50:34.560> and during this this last JBC process, and during this this last JBC process

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received several committee reports. The Finance Committee reported Senate Bills 155, 49, and 116 with amendments and favorable referral to Appropriations, and House Bill 1188 favorably to Appropriations. The Business, Labor, and Technology Committee reported House Bill 1110 with amendments and a favorable recommendation to the Committee of the Whole, placed on the Consent Calendar, and also recommended confirmation of several appointments, including members of the State Plumbing Board, State Electrical Board, and Workers’ Compensation Cost Containment Board. The chamber then proceeded out of order for personal privileges and a resolution honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., including recognition of visiting members and students participating in its Capitol Day. The Senate next took up House Joint Resolution 1027 concerning remembrance of the Holocaust. The resolution emphasized the history of the Holocaust, rising anti-Semitic incidents, the importance of Holocaust and genocide education, and the need to confront hate and otherization. Senators Weissman and Ball spoke in support, stressing the dangers of hateful rhetoric, the need for vigilance and compassion, and the importance of learning from history. HJR 1027 passed unanimously by roll call, 35-0, and the roll call was listed as co-sponsors. Announcements followed recognizing the Sikh community’s Vaisakhi observance and a langar lunch at the Capitol, along with a proclamation for Sikh Awareness Appreciation Month. There were also notices about a Republican caucus, a Legal Services Committee meeting on Senate Bill 2683 and a litigation update, and a brief personal privilege remark about tax day and agriculture. The Senate then recessed until 10:30 a.m., later raised the call, and moved into special orders for second reading of a large group of House bills on the Consent Calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2379, school district governing boards training — Education.
• HB 2663, level leaves of absence military training.
• This is another attempt to really weaken the ballot initiative process, which is a process given to citizens
• Well, the smell of barbecue meat, you may all love it, but it really disgusts me.
• Processing time and save $100,000 per election.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, and several guest introductions, including the Doctor of the Day, realtors visiting for Realtor Day, and a representative from Home of Hope. The Senate then handled a large number of bill referrals and second-reading items before moving into Committee of the Whole on multiple calendars. Several bills were advanced with committee and floor amendments, including SB 1494, SB 1497, SB 1503, SB 1535, SB 1544, SB 1580, SB 1582, SB 1584, SB 1585, SB 1602, SB 1632, SB 1723, and SB 1798. Many of the amendments were described as technical cleanups, but some made substantive changes, such as SB 1535’s provisions on sealing records for sex-trafficking victims and SB 1723’s domestic-violence release and monitoring provisions. The Committee of the Whole also adopted a report recommending several bills do pass as amended. The chamber adopted House Concurrent Resolution 264 honoring former Senator Barbara Leff, followed by a moment of silence and remarks from her family. The Senate then returned to Committee of the Whole for Calendar 1, where it retained SB 1332 and advanced SB 1654, SB 1711, SB 1743, SCR 1047, and HB 2993. HB 2993 drew the most debate: opponents argued it had a single-subject problem, relied on funding from the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Fraud Fund, and could create unnecessary outside-counsel costs for DPS, while supporters cited the need for the supplemental and defended the funding approach. The motion to report HB 2993 do pass carried by division, 16-13. In third reading, the Senate passed HB 4115 and a series of Senate bills, including SB 1012, SB 1213, SB 1416, SB 1474, SB 1511, SB 1549, SB 1573, SB 1634, SB 1647, and SB 1649, with several passing on close 16-13 votes. Debate centered heavily on immigration enforcement, concealed carry in businesses serving alcohol, CDL and driver-license issues, campaign finance disclosure, and a digital asset reserve fund. Members on both sides repeatedly explained votes on constitutional, public safety, fiscal, and civil-rights grounds. The session ended with bills transmitted to the House after passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• At this time, the statute allows us to do the training and education without being public.
• At this time, the statute allows us to do the training and education without being public.
• <00:36:50.319> tools feel like they have the training tools feel like they have the training
• impact in kind of that ongoing process impact in kind of that ongoing process so<00:53:48.520>
• and Medicaid services but um the process and Medicaid services but um the process really<01:24:03.760

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows that streamlined process for the city to...
• Again, the rescheduling of those, the process to do that at the county level is a little bit longer process
• That's the process, and that's the beauty about this.
• All we’re doing is trying to streamline that process.
• All this is doing is streamlining the process.

Bills: SJR12, SCR39, SB27, SB29, SB241, SB406, SB414, SB464, SB568, SB578, SB609, SB660, SB689, SB693, SB785, SB857, SB879, SB921, SB922, SB955, SB985, SB993, SB996, SB1008, SB1035, SB1036, SB1059, SB1098, SB1120, SB1122, SB1147, SB1188, SB1197, SB1209, SB1227, SB1245, SB1267, SB1307, SB1321, SB1332, SB1386, SB1396, SB1453, SB1484, SB1494, SB1536, SB1537, SB1596, SB1610, SB1664, SB1741, SB1814, SB1822, SB1841, SB1948, SB2065, SB2155, SB2188, SB2230, SB2406, SB2407

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with senators highlighting the university’s growth, medical school, research expansion, and role in serving South Texas. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 368 honoring outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, with numerous senators praising his long public career, leadership in higher education, and statewide impact. Senate Resolution 361 recognizing Texas HBCU Day and Senate Resolution 362 recognizing Denton County Days at the Capitol were also adopted, along with other routine recognitions and gubernatorial appointments being read into the record. The Senate then took up several bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to shorten vacancy posting requirements, allow bilingual certification candidates to retake only failed test sections, give teachers more flexibility with paid leave, clarify classroom removal procedures, and ensure parents are informed of appeal rights. The bill passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a parent’s right to direct a child’s education, was also brought up and passed to engrossment after a contested suspension vote. The Senate next passed Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, which would require reporting of foreign funding at public universities, bar gifts from adversarial governments, and require training and reporting systems to prevent foreign influence and intellectual property theft in higher education. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the so-called “Dexit” bill, was debated at length for its corporate governance changes, including codifying the business judgment rule and altering internal corporate litigation and records rules; it passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed by a 30-1 vote. Senate Bill 857, allowing law enforcement discretion to tow vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed after discussion of towing abuses during flooding and disaster conditions. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536, requiring dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, passed with broad support, and Senate Bill 922, addressing delayed electronic disclosure of sensitive medical test results so physicians can discuss them first, was taken up and passed to engrossment as the chamber continued through its calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• Land purchases, farm improvements, equipment, meat and poultry processing, etc., etc.
• Land purchases, farm improvements, equipment, meat and poultry processing, etc., etc.
• Land purchases, farm improvements, equipment, meat and poultry processing, etc., etc.
• Land purchases, farm improvements, equipment, meat and poultry processing, etc., etc.
• Land purchases, farm improvements, equipment, meat and poultry processing, etc., etc.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture presented an overview of its budget, staffing, and major program areas, including protection services, marketing, and administration. Commissioners also highlighted concerns about federal funding uncertainty after a January letter suspending active and future USDA awards to the department. They said the issue affected about 13% of the agency’s budget, created confusion for farmers, and briefly disrupted poultry lab testing and HPAI-related work, though they later received assurances from USDA leadership that existing programs would continue processing. The department also described its anti-fraud efforts, including internal controls, a compliance coordinator, a grants administrator, review committees, site visits, and participation in the state’s Inspector General Coordinating Council. The committee then discussed several agriculture support programs. For dairy margin coverage, the department said Minnesota’s sign-up is open and supported a bill to extend assistance to farmers who began operations in 2023-2025 and were not covered under the earlier production-based formula. The renamed Farm to Food Security program, formerly LFPA, was described as a state-created local food purchasing effort funded at $700,000 per year. The down payment assistance grant for first-time farm buyers was also reviewed; the department said it has supported 112 farmers so far, with additional awards pending, but noted timing problems when purchase agreements fall through. Members asked whether priority should be given to applicants with signed purchase agreements, and the department said that was under consideration. The grain indemnity account update focused on the Hansen-Mueller facility failure and related claims. The department said the account holds about $10.7 million, has received 19 claims totaling $1.1 million, and that $842,000 of those claims were tied specifically to Minnesota transactions. It explained the difference by noting that some claims involved Minnesota farmers selling in North Dakota and Wisconsin, and that the indemnity account covers grains sold in Minnesota. The committee also heard updates on elk and wolf depredation payments, with the department projecting shortfalls in both funds and noting that payments are being delayed into later months. The agriculture response fund balance was said to be about $2.5 million. Finally, the Rural Finance Authority and the East Grand Forks potato facility were discussed. The RFA reported strong demand for low-interest loans, about $26 million remaining from the prior $50 million authorization, and a new $50 million bonding request in the governor’s proposal to avoid a funding gap. The department said the program has issued 3,951 loans totaling about $390.3 million with very low defaults. It also requested $1.38 million in bonding for building improvements at the East Grand Forks potato facility, which it said is the department’s only owned building and supports a significant potato industry. In response to a question from Rep. Bang, the commissioner said recent ICE activity had affected farms, processing plants, immigrant workers, and some rural food businesses, and that the department had relayed those concerns to the governor’s office and congressional delegation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was known as the largest meat-eating dinosaur.
• Meat eater to one of the tallest, actually some people recognize it as the tallest dinosaur ever discovered
• So the previous one that doesn't exist was the largest meat eater.
• Is this one a meat eater or is it a good question? This one would be what we call a sauropod.
• No, because he's a vegetarian sort of meat eater. All on the board. OK, thank you so much.

Bills: HB3880, HB3263, HB2970

Keywords: Oklahoma Today Magazine, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, tourism promotion, advertising sales, commission pay, employee bonus, sales commission, digital publication, print publication, sponsorships, bulk subscriptions, newsstand sales, ancillary products, public records, procurement exemption, administrative procedures exemption, tourism magazine, revenue sharing, executive director, state agency compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• That was our thought process anyway. Thank you.
• that pet food other livestock U then that pet food that<00:10:37.959> raw<00:10:38.839> meat
• would not be uh made into that raw meat would not be uh made into pet<00:10:42.240> food<00:10
• State Department of Agriculture for biosecurity, they should be distributed through a randomized process
• rather than a first randomized process rather than a first come<00:15:38.079> first<00:15:38.399

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The second process is our default process, and we have seen, and I'm sure you all have heard as well,
• We keep very close tabs on the process of the awarded companies to ensure that the deadline is met.
• So training is required. And you know, just like any agency, you lose people.
• My question is, is the plan to cross-train people.
• But if anybody has brought agencies in And been through this process with them, it's the headache.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have training houses built in.
• We're also doing a lot of training with our staff.
• And as part of that, you have classroom training.
• So they have a a 2 weeks of court training.
• . can often be an overwhelming and complicated process.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, talk to me about your thought process behind those calls and conversations.
• So, talk to me about your thought process behind those calls and conversations.
• So, we'll see the lab-grown meat, cell-grown meat. Another odd one.
• So, we'll see the lab-grown meat, cell-grown meat. Another odd one.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:27:23.600> for review process for the cure process for review process for the cure process
• people to vote and clear up the process. people to vote and clear up the process.
• process, but we came to a resolution. process, but we came to a resolution.
• . process. process.
• how early it is in the process. how early it is in the process.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are in-person trainings.
• happening so we do help our our training happening so we do help our our training includes<00:42
• <00:42:34.520> on<00:42:34.760> human human the training on human human the training
• :54.240> include of AI trainings for our teachers include of AI trainings for our teachers include
• <00:49:15.680> to being trained to you being trained to being trained to you being trained

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A very competent individual, very well versed on the administrative processes that the PUC will have
• We've issued over 700 decisions and orders, and that is just the meat and potatoes.
• and they become and they're trained and they become excited<01:29:37.000> about<01:29:37.320>
• That's not going the meat and potatoes.
• during this process? during this process?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered a long list of Governor’s messages for appointments to state boards and commissions, including the Board of Dentistry, Barbering and Cosmetology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board, Real Estate Commission, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, State Boxing Commission, Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Pharmacy, and the Public Utilities Commission. Most nominees and supporting agencies testified in support, and many nominees simply stood on their written testimony. Several nominees also answered questions about their experience and the issues facing their boards, including dental insurance and Medicaid concerns, condo and real estate disputes, pharmacy regulation and telepharmacy, boxing and MMA rule updates, and medical board service in rural areas. The committee discussed some contested or notable nominations in more detail. Richard Emery’s nomination to the Real Estate Commission drew opposition testimony tied to a condo management dispute, and he responded by emphasizing the need for factual evidence, mediation and complaint data, and better consumer education. Trinette Kahui and Andrea Ushijima were also nominated to the Real Estate Commission, with broad support. For the Boxing Commission, Robin Jumawan described ongoing statutory updates, MMA-related work, and delegation of amateur boxing rules. For the Hawaii Medical Board, Elizabeth Ignacio was strongly endorsed by state and industry witnesses as highly qualified and familiar with rural health issues, while Rebecca Sawai also received support from the board and Kaiser Permanente. In the decision-making portion, the committee moved to advise and consent to nearly all nominees on the agenda. Senator McKelvey stated reservations about Richard Emery due to opposition and possible conflicts, and also about nominees who were not present at the hearing, specifically Corrine Muldrow Soto and Stacie Kealoha Inouye; Senator Lamasao also noted reservations on those absent nominees. The chair disclosed personal acquaintance with Dr. Sawai and Andrea Ushijima. The committee then voted to adopt the recommendations, with the noted reservations and one no vote on GM 697 reflected in the record, and later reconvened to take up Governor’s Message 514/515 for John Etemura as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, where additional support testimony was heard from the Governor’s office, DCCA, and former consumer advocacy staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• My office and I remain committed to working with the stakeholders to move through this legislative process
• My office and I remain committed to working with the stakeholders to move through this legislative process
• California law requires that C-SAVE review and approve schools or training facilities before they can
• East Side Market started as a grocery store and meat market, then expanded its business over a decade
• As the meat and sausage market expanded over two decades later, Johnny and his brother Frank became owners

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved routine procedural motions, and recognized several guest groups, including First Five California, a fourth-grade class from Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, visitors from Modoc and Lassen counties, and representatives from the Port of Long Beach. The chamber then moved through second reading and concurrence items, with most bills and resolutions being read, deemed adopted, or passed on file without debate. The main floor action centered on ACR 39, designating May 2025 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month. Assembly Member Ramos and many caucus members spoke in strong support, describing the crisis as a state of emergency and emphasizing violence against Native women, girls, and two-spirit people, the need for better data collection, agency coordination, tribal sovereignty, and continued action beyond symbolic recognition. The resolution passed concurrence with 67 ayes and 0 noes. The Assembly also passed a series of bills on topics including classified school employee pay stubs (AB 374), allowing voucher preferences in housing (AB 282), authorizing nurse practitioners to sign death certificates (AB 583), student health insurance protections (AB 594), local housing pre-approval programs (AB 1206), veterans education program administration (AB 1509), expanding the Family Urgent Response System (AB 898), Star Wars Day (H.R. 33), local news sale notice requirements (AB 611), mask-wearing protections in public spaces (AB 1326), a Chula Vista university land-use measure (AB 76), undercover officer record protections (AB 1178), and preservation of Clover Valley in Rocklin (AB 1152). Most passed with broad support, though AB 282 and AB 611 drew some opposition. A major debate occurred on AJR 10, which urged the President to reverse cuts to the U.S. Forest Service. Members from both parties discussed wildfire prevention, forest health, staffing, and federal-state responsibility, with some criticizing the administration and others emphasizing forest management and the need for bipartisan cooperation. The resolution was adopted after a co-author roll and final roll vote of 67 ayes and 0 noes. The chamber then adopted the second-day consent calendar, heard an adjournment in memory for Giovanni “Johnny” of East Side Italian Deli, and adjourned until Monday, May 12, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're in the process of getting that in place.
• The PERS board does follow a standard process in our rulemaking process, which includes staff preparation
• We present making process, which includes staff preparation of the draft rules.
• This is the process that we followed for the rules before you today.
• The department uses normal rulemaking process. We did public notice, public hearings.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The petition process is already in place allows and this was done before I ever got here.
• legitimate contractor, you know, this is an abuse of the process.
• for all of our applicants to facilitate this process.
• The application process includes multiple verification steps to confirm eligibility.
• But we do anticipate that we will have some additional questions as we move through the process.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You may not know this, but meat inspection in the state of Minnesota is split 50/50 with the federal
• If the federal government takes away that money, we will not be able to inspect your meat.
• <00:10:08.839> we<00:10:08.959> are not be able to inspect your meat we are not be
• able to inspect your meat we are currently<00:10:09.720> struggling<00:10:10.480> to<00
• As much as we can, because, of course, they are an important part of the legislative process.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency did not follow the correct process.
• The number one issue that I have with this is the fact that when I address the process, the process is
• The night I actually held on the 20th, so no, I don't believe that there's a process there, to a point
• That will give time for the Senate process to work. We do have some more rules.
• That will give time for the Senate process to work.

Bills: HJR1090, HJR1091, HJR1092, HJR1093, HJR1094, HJR1095, SJR49

Keywords: administrative rules, rule approval, joint resolution, Oklahoma Register, Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Corporation Commission, Department of Environmental Quality, Liquified Petroleum Gas Board, water resources, wildlife conservation, tourism, zoning commission, energy regulation, agricultural regulation, agency rules, permanent rules, state agencies, Oklahoma Legislature, business and commerce, professional licensing

Summary: The committee took up several joint resolutions dealing with agency rules. H.J.R. 1090, approving energy- and agriculture-related agency rules, was adopted and passed 10-0. H.J.R. 1091, covering business and commerce rules, was also adopted and passed 10-0. H.J.R. 1092, which had been split out from the business and commerce packet because of a reported $10 million cost impact on one business, was adopted after discussions with regulators about delaying remodeling requirements and addressing safety concerns; it passed unanimously. H.J.R. 1093, approving health-related agency rules, passed 11-0, with some Oklahoma Health Care Authority major rules noted as being handled separately in the Senate. The committee then discussed H.C.R. 1094, a major rule from the Long-Range Capital Planning Commission. Members raised concerns that the agency’s rule impact statement contained errors, incorrect notice and hearing information, and an incomplete economic analysis. After debate over whether the resolution could be amended or had to be accepted or rejected as a whole, the committee voted 11-0 that it did not pass. The committee then considered H.J.R. 1095 with an amendment to specifically disapprove a proposed permanent rule change by the Long-Range Capital Planning Commission that would have allowed the commission to ignore its own rules in the “best interest of the state.” The amendment was adopted 11-1, and the resolution as amended passed. At the end of the meeting, the chair thanked members and staff for their work and said the committee would try to move the resolutions to the floor on Thursday, with another meeting likely needed to address additional major rules coming from the Senate. A committee member also suggested a brief educational review of a prior procedural issue at a future meeting, and the chair agreed to discuss broader concerns about the administrative rules process in a later wrap-up.