Transcript Highlights:

• We removed any rules that were merely duplicative. of statute.
• As with Chapter 22, we removed any rule that was merely duplicated.
• You wouldn't be required to register if you did less than, by statute, 26 hours of lobbying. the calendar
• , as part of our comprehensive rule review plan, as we've said, we removed any rule merely du- of statute
• make the adjustments, what they should consider, which largely tracks, which largely tracks. the statute

Keywords: Texas Ethics Commission, HB18, SB12, political contributions, civil penalties, Attorney General, criminal election offenses, legislation

Summary: In the latest meeting of the Texas Ethics Commission, significant discussions centered around newly passed legislation, specifically HB18 and SB12. HB18 introduces a civil penalty for members who accept political contributions while absent from the state, addressing potential obstructions to legislative actions. Senators and commissioners engaged in an in-depth dialogue about the implications of this bill, with many expressing concerns regarding enforcement and compliance. In contrast, SB12 expands the jurisdiction of the Attorney General to prosecute criminal election offenses, further tightening the oversight of election activities. The meeting concluded with acknowledgement of the efforts put forth by previous commission chairs, highlighting their contributions to the commission's success.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that the statute specifies.
• That's the date prescribed in statute, yes, by the end of November. Okay.
• But I believe the statute does not have to be considered.
• So there's two definitions that are currently in existing statute.
• It would duplicate existing CDE... ...school inclusion targets.

Summary: The committee heard an update on the administration’s Career Education Master Plan and the new California Education Interagency Council. Administration and agency staff described efforts to better connect K-12, higher education, workforce, and data systems, including the California Cradle to Career Data System, e-Transcript California, and a proposed career passport. They emphasized regional coordination with workforce boards and community colleges, and said the new council’s immediate tasks are to hold its first meeting by the end of June, enter into a data-sharing MOU, and complete a strategic plan by the end of November. Members asked about the council’s authority, reporting requirements, and how it would relate to the broader Master Plan for Higher Education; staff said the council will make recommendations but does not have implementation authority. The committee then took up the Governor’s proposed $100 million one-time expansion of dual enrollment grants and related changes to instructional minute requirements. Finance and the Department of Education said the proposal would support middle college, early college, and CCAP programs, add technical assistance, prioritize high-need LEAs, and reduce the minimum instructional day for certain dual enrollment students from 240 to 180 minutes to ease scheduling barriers. The Chancellor’s Office strongly supported the investment, citing access, acceleration, and equity benefits, while the LAO recommended rejecting the funding, arguing the state already provides ongoing support and that the proposal does not address major barriers. Members raised questions about adult learners, A-G alignment, reporting on outcomes and expenditures, rural access, transportation, staffing, and whether the funding would create lasting program capacity. The item was left open after discussion. The committee also considered trailer bill language to align the definition of long-term English learners across data systems. Finance and CDE said the change would simplify identification by defining LTELs as students who have not attained English proficiency within seven years and RTELs as students not proficient within six years, matching the dashboard and research-based timelines. CDE said the current mismatch between dashboard and assessment definitions creates confusion and delays, while some members and advocates worried the change could reduce earlier intervention or should be handled through policy committees rather than the budget process. The committee voted to reject the proposal and refer it to policy, though the administration said it still supports the budget language. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to extend the Supporting Inclusive Practices project by one year, through June 30, 2027. CDE said the project is promising but raised concerns about the contract structure and fiscal management, while Marysville Joint Unified School District testified that SIP had helped expand inclusive preschool and district-wide practices and reduce reliance on more restrictive placements. Members questioned why funds had not been fully encumbered and whether the remaining money should be redirected to areas with greater implementation need. The item was discussed but no final action was described in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• But bringing this together, reducing the duplication, making sure that we're smart with our costs and
• You know, I think some of that is actually rooted in the statute, and then some of that is our rules
• And see what we might have to do from a statute standpoint to actually clean that process up.
• It's on the statute. I don't know that we have a lot of enforcement authority there, though.
• So I would suggest finding a way, either by rule or by statute, for DOIT to be given a bigger role in

Transcript Highlights:

• what elements have been put in place. ...the elements that have been put in place, some of them in statute
• sometimes becomes part of law, like North Coast Corridor that's being mentioned, was included in statute
• We have an independent performance auditor that was created by statute that's doing three to four audits
• We have an independent performance auditor that was created by statute that's doing three to four audits
• And, like I said, this multimodal corridor scope was outlined in state statute.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee met to hear new audit requests and receive a status update from the State Auditor. The auditor reported 10 JALAC audits in progress, noted that all 2025-approved audits are underway, said the first 2026 audit is focused on DMV license revocations, and described several statutory and high-risk audits already in progress. The committee also approved a consent calendar of four audit requests: UC library resources, law enforcement information sharing, EDD unemployment insurance claims, and Housing and Community Development housing development monitoring. The committee then considered Assembly Member DeMaio’s audit request on SANDAG road project management. DeMaio argued the audit was needed to examine whether transportation funds, including voter-approved and restricted revenues, were used for allowable purposes and whether past management failures warranted outside review. SANDAG’s CEO and CFO said the agency already undergoes extensive oversight and audits, that funds are tracked by multiple “colors of money,” and that internal controls have improved. Several members questioned whether the issues were already addressed in public records or existing audits, and the request failed on a roll call vote. Next, Senator Valadares presented an audit of the Board of State and Community Corrections’ Proposition 47 grant administration, arguing that more transparency is needed on outcomes, recidivism data, and oversight of grantees. The BSCC said it already has oversight mechanisms, that the State Controller conducts biennial audits, and that program data shows positive outcomes. The committee approved the audit unanimously. Senator Cortese then presented an audit of CalHR’s dental benefits procurement and Delta Dental contract, citing long-standing benefit caps, provider network concerns, and retiree out-of-pocket costs. CalHR said its network remains strong, that it recently completed an RFP adding MetLife as a second carrier starting in 2027, and that contracts include performance guarantees. Members from both parties expressed concern about access and competition, and the audit was approved unanimously. The committee then completed add-on votes on the consent calendar and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:35:36.320> Um that's in the federal statute. Um that's in the federal statute.
• I believe that said that CMS had no additional authority other than what was in statute. Thank you.
• Here, the one thing I would lift up that's in the federal statute is that if the state has access to
• Well, in the statute. >> That was, I suspected that that was the case.
• I mean, inclusive statute and rule. federal law. So, uh so that we have a federal law.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They also, um, per statute, are agents of the DEA and so they have some federal responsibilities within
• They also, per statute, are agents of the DEA and so they have some federal responsibilities within the
• 34.720> of consolidate to update um to get rid of consolidate to update um to get rid of duplicative
• 36.639> The<00:13:36.800> chapters<00:13:37.200> had<00:13:37.519> I duplicative
• The chapters had I duplicative pieces.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 3 meeting unanimously. It then reviewed follow-up status on prior performance audits, beginning with the Department of Corrections’ sex offender treatment program. DOC said all audit items from the 2016 review were resolved except one related to tracking benchmarks, progress, and recidivism. Officials explained that a new offender management system, Chorus, was recently implemented but has had rollout problems affecting operations, including restitution checks, and that they hope the system will be stable enough within about six months to begin tracking the needed metrics. Members asked about treatment inside prison and after release; DOC described in-prison treatment, parole aftercare, probation and parole oversight, administrative restrictions, and reassessment if conditions are not met. The committee next heard from OPLC on the Real Estate Commission audit. OPLC reported that all but one finding is substantially or fully resolved, with the remaining issue involving review of applicants’ adverse financial history and liabilities. The delay is tied to ongoing rulemaking, and OPLC said the commission is amending its criteria and integrating universal application procedures into board rules. The office estimated substantive completion by March 2027, with rule filing expected sooner. The committee then took up the Board of Pharmacy audit, where OPLC said most findings remain partially resolved because the board is in the middle of a major rule overhaul and a new licensing software project. Officials described a shift toward a compliance bureau and more routine, risk-informed inspections, rather than inspections driven only by complaints, and said updated manuals and forms will follow the new rules and technology. Finally, the Legislative Budget Assistant reported on ongoing audits. For special education, staff said they are writing the report, have 25 completed observations, and have expanded to 70 identified observations, with a full draft expected in the first quarter of 2026 and a final report by summer 2026. For education freedom accounts, 40 observations have been identified, 15 finalized, and a draft is expected by midspring with a fiscal committee presentation in summer. For the Doorway program, the audit plan was finalized with DHHS help, financial activity was isolated, fieldwork is expected to finish by Thanksgiving, and a draft report is planned for January or February 2026, with a final report by March or April 2026. The committee discussed scheduling its next meeting for February 6 at 10 a.m. and emphasized the value of follow-up on older audits; the meeting adjourned after members agreed the follow-up process should continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, is SEC committee members have to be state employees by statute, have to be either state employees
• The language of the statute does not say that. It doesn't say salaried state employees.
• And the list of folks who are appointed officers are listed in statute.
• We removed any rule that was merely duplicative or a restatement of the statute in an effort to streamline
• statute and we changed references to changing threshold numbers to the threshold where possible.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the statute specifies.
• That's the date prescribed in statute, yes, by the end of November. Okay.
• But I believe the statute does not have to be considered...
• So there's two definitions that are currently in existing statute.
• It would duplicate existing CDE... School inclusion targets.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee began with public comment and then heard an informational update on the administration’s Career Education Master Plan and the California Education Interagency Council. State agencies described efforts to better align workforce, higher education, and TK-12 systems through data sharing, dual enrollment, e-transcripts, career passports, and regional partnerships. Members asked about the council’s timeline, strategic plan, reporting requirements, and whether it would have authority to act; administration staff said the council is being stood up, its first meeting is due by the end of June, and a strategic plan is due by the end of November. Members also raised broader questions about the relationship of this work to the Master Plan for Higher Education and common course numbering. The committee then took up the Governor’s proposed $100 million one-time expansion of dual enrollment grants. Finance said the proposal would extend grants for middle college, early college, and CCAP programs, add eligibility for regional occupational centers, provide extra support for justice-involved youth, prioritize high-need LEAs, and allow funds for teacher professional development. The proposal would also reduce the minimum instructional day for certain dual enrollment students from 240 to 180 minutes to better align schedules and remove barriers. The LAO recommended rejecting the funding, arguing that dual enrollment is already growing and that the proposal does not address major fiscal barriers. The Chancellor’s Office and CDE supported the investment, emphasizing access, equity, and technical assistance, especially for rural and small districts. Members questioned instructional-minute changes, reporting on outcomes, adult learner access, and whether the funds would support ongoing or one-time costs. Next, the committee considered trailer bill language to align the definition of long-term English learners across data systems. Finance and CDE said the change would simplify identification by using a seven-year definition for LTELs and a six-year definition for students at risk of becoming LTELs, matching the dashboard and research on the typical time needed to reach English proficiency. Some members expressed concern that the proposal could delay intervention for students who have been English learners for four or five years and questioned why the issue was being handled through budget trailer bill language rather than policy legislation. After discussion, the committee voted on a motion to reject the proposal and refer it to the policy committee; the motion received two aye votes and the item was held open. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to extend the Supporting Inclusive Practices Project by one year, from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Finance said the extension would continue the existing project, while CDE raised concerns about the project’s contract structure, fiscal management, and scalability. A Marysville Joint Unified School District representative testified that SIP had helped the district bring preschool services back into district schools, expand inclusive practices, and reduce reliance on more restrictive placements. Members questioned why funds had not been fully encumbered and whether the project was best positioned to support statewide preschool inclusion goals, with CDE suggesting that existing infrastructure may already be better suited for that work.

Transcript Highlights:

• The substitute aligns the definition of AI systems within existing statutes.
• First, you might ask, are we duplicating the regional security?
• This statute allowed the PUC to represent Texas and its electric consumers in matters before entities
• In-home sales statutes were originally created to protect consumers from unsolicited door-to-door and
• It's not duplicative. As I mentioned, it's additive.

Bills: HB146, HB150, HB1500, HB1545, HB1562, HB2067, HB2520, HB2818, HB3214, HB3250, HB3466, HB3512, HB3623, HB4063, HB4395, HB4464, HB4668, HB4690, HB5331, HB3833, HB146, HB150

Keywords: HB 146, Texas Capitol, State Capitol, State Preservation Board, Congress Avenue, Travis County, traffic lanes, lane closure, road closure, municipal authority, local control, Capitol area, downtown Austin, special events, construction traffic plan, pedestrian safety, public works, transportation policy, government code chapter 443, cybersecurity

Transcript Highlights:

• And that keeps intact Florida Statutes 500.90.
• What is Florida Statute 500.90? What are we permitting here on this line? Senator Martin.
• I want to make sure I tried to highlight everything in here related that's new to statute. it, and you
• I want to make sure I tried to highlight everything in here related that's new to statute.
• Everything in here related that's new to statute.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then moved into a series of special-order bills and House messages. Early floor action included passage of a claim bill for Mandy Penny Lemon (HB 6503) and bills on sewer collection systems (HB 1123) and farm products (HB 211), all passing unanimously. The chamber also took up an ad valorem tax exemption resolution for agricultural tangible personal property (CS/HJR 1215), which passed 37-0. Several other measures were temporarily postponed before the Senate recessed and later returned to House messages and additional special orders. The Senate then addressed multiple House amendments and conference-style motions. It concurred in amended versions of SB 994 on driver safety, SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, and HB 1609 on waste incineration/auxiliary containers after extended debate over hurricane recovery rules, local government restrictions, and plastic container preemption. The chamber also concurred in CS/HB 1205 on citizen initiative petitions, increasing the number of petitions a volunteer may carry from 2 to 25, and in CS/HB 733 on Brownfields. Other House amendments were rejected or sent back, including SB 234 on offenses against law enforcement, SB 116 on veterans policy, SB 168 on mental health, and HB 1101 on out-of-network provider referrals. Later, the Senate approved CS/HB 1255 on education and CS/HB 875 on educator preparation, with discussion focused on school readiness, teacher training, and changes to certification and testing requirements. It also concurred in CS/HB 1427, a broad health care bill, after the House added a major nursing education amendment that tightened Board of Nursing oversight, required standardized evaluation and remediation, and imposed accountability measures tied to NCLEX pass rates and program performance. Several members raised concerns or praised negotiated compromises throughout the day, but the recorded actions were mainly concurrence motions, refusals to concur, and final passage votes on the bills considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• federal anti-kickback statute.
• Referencing the federal statute, which is 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b.
• But our preference is to have it in state statute.
• How people can come here says that should have been in statute.
• and who the statute applies to...

Transcript Highlights:

• not required to follow the same statutes not required to follow the same statutes as<00:57:37.160
• They are immune from liability under the statute for all of their operations.
• They are immune from liability under the statute for all of their operations.
• They are immune from liability under the statute for all of their operations.
• reforms if I know that I put a Statute reforms if I know that I put a Statute in<06:29:05.080>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They only want to rule on statute.
• statements that are alleged to be duplicative or onerous.
• The Board of Supervisors, they implement statutes that the Legislature.
• Or in statute, we said once you hit 175,000, you go from 3 to 5.
• This is—I mean, we already have in statute that we go from three to five, right?

Bills: SB1246, SB1338, SB1428, SB1443, SB1501, SB1566, SB1571, SB1645, SB1646, SB1663, SB1688, SB1805, SB1808, SB1825, SCR1023, SCR1029, HB2079, HB2080, HB2130, HB2239, HB2324, HB2375, HB2610, HB2619, HB2620, HB2716, HB2745, HB2749, HB2837, HB2857, HB2968, HB4064, HB4066, HB4087, HB4130, HCR2048, HCR2058

Keywords: homeowners associations, foreclosure, common expense liens, condominiums, special assessments, unit owner, public benefits, eligibility, immigration status, documentation, Arizona law, county governance, supervisorial board, population-based representation, local government, elections, noise pollution, environmental nuisances, building permits, urban development

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1825, which would shift precinct committeeman vacancy applications in certain cases from county party chairs to legislative district chairs and require the list of nominees to be submitted within five days. Supporters said the bill would streamline a bottlenecked process and better reflect local party leadership, while the County Supervisors Association said it had no issue with the basic structure but objected to the five-day deadline. The bill received a do pass recommendation on a 5-0 vote, with two members not voting. The committee then considered SB 1566, a measure aimed at preventing municipalities, counties, the state, and state agencies from maliciously delaying permits or approvals, with enforcement by the Attorney General and civil penalties. After a strike-everything amendment narrowed the bill mainly to single-family residential construction and clarified terms, the sponsor and home builders argued it would deter intentional delays that increase housing costs, while one member raised concerns about breadth and public safety or planning issues. The amended bill passed 3-2, with two not voting. SB 1571, as amended, would bar monopoly utilities with a defined customer base from passing marketing, sponsorship, community relations, and similar costs through to ratepayers, and would require annual public reporting and an attestation that such costs were not passed on. Support came from the sponsor, the Home Builders Association, and environmental advocates, while a municipal power users representative warned the language could be too broad for small public utilities and emergency communications. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then gave the bill a do pass as amended recommendation by a 4-2 vote, with one not voting. Later, the committee approved SB 1501, which expands the Administrative Rules Oversight Committee’s review authority to include whether agency rules or policies exceed statutory authority, and SB 1805, which requires county recorders to verify that a notary on a quitclaim deed is actively commissioned before recording the deed. It also passed SB 1808, as amended, to prohibit HOAs and condominium associations from banning flags of nations designated as major non-NATO allies, and SB 1688, as amended, to require certain membership associations receiving public dues support to disclose fees and allow opt-outs. SB 1246, as amended, increased the delinquency thresholds and time periods before HOA/condo foreclosure on common expense liens, and passed unanimously. Finally, SB 1428 was introduced to expand county boards of supervisors in larger counties, with debate focused on representation, cost, and the differing constitutional roles of counties and cities; the transcript cuts off before any final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to make sure that you're going to find ways to make sure that there's no duplication of
• Or that you're going to find ways to make sure that there's no duplication of services with respect to
• Madam Chair, let's ask Brenda if they will make sure we don't duplicate, but it strengthens each other
• And this bill went into statute back in 2018.
• And this bill went into statute back in 2018.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota statute 245A.02, subdivision 6C and 6F provide those definitions.
• Minnesota<00:03:56.480> statute<00:03:57.080> 245A.02 Minnesota statute 245A.02 Minnesota
• All of those categories must do the same statutes, follow the same rules, and policies.
• looking I actually grabbed the statute looking I actually grabbed the statute book<00:24:49.920>
• <00:24:50.840> book book and I'm looking at the statute book book and I'm looking at the statute

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Out by statute, they are not set; the positions don't exist quite yet, by the timeline set in statute
• So we are too small to be duplicating efforts.
• I think we all hear this a lot about initiatives in New Mexico where things are siloed or duplicative
• And not duplicate efforts, not have folks, you know, going to the same destination in different lanes

Transcript Highlights:

• If you look on page 2, what we have is the statute currently that's in the code with regard to processing
• This statute, this is current law right now, so if there's more than 3 difference between those, then
• We've uncovered evidence of duplicate voters across multiple counties, and we've, we've observed no.
• When voter rolls contain duplicates or deceased voters, someone must be authorized to correct them.
• different people, or so I, I think we have processes in place already through a team that identify duplicate

Bills: HB311

Keywords: flood hazards, recreational vehicles, temporary dwelling structures, Texas Water Development Board, flood safety standards, emergency management

Transcript Highlights:

• These students should not have to duplicate coursework if they choose to earn… further credentials, such
• with college and university requirements to create greater stacking opportunities and decrease duplication
• By emphasizing stackable credentials and reducing duplication, the bill ensures students can build meaningful
• and I'm trying to figure out what's the difference, and I think what's being ignored is what the statute
• And this bullying statute, again, I earlier said it, but again, it's conduct that is sufficiently severe

Bills: HB295, HB824, HB1579, HB1581, HB2189, HB295

Keywords: bullying, antisemitism, school policies, school discipline, education, education policy, Texas Education Code, hate speech, student rights, civics education, high school curriculum, government, voting process, elected officials, Texas Seal of Biliteracy, biliteracy, bilingual education, multilingual, language proficiency, high school diploma

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an admission that we can't fix the problem in public school, and yet we have a. public school statute
• a private vendor to be able to solicit and accept gifts that's new I've never never seen that in statute
• And I don't want to duplicate what Florida has done.
• I don't want to duplicate what Arizona has done. I don't want to duplicate what Louisiana has done.

Bills: HB3, HB3

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll see there what's in statute now is still from that 2011 equity allocation model.
• .collaboration was vitally important in this project for us, not only because we were mandated in statute
• Those seem duplicative potentially to me. Can you explain?
• And then they further seem duplicative by the risk corridor or so, you know, you like that there's three
• Saw some and they saw some that were duplicative of each other, and they didn't want to double count.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Dr. Kelly O’Dare on first responder behavioral health access, peer support, and suicide prevention. She described UCF Restores, the Second Alarm Project, and related partnerships that provide culturally competent treatment, peer training, clinician education, disaster response support, and behavioral health navigation. She cited survey and state data showing significant rates of sleep problems, anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicide among Florida first responders, and said evidence-based treatment has helped many patients recover, including a reported 76% who no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria after treatment. Senators asked about measuring outcomes, peer support standards, and whether the state should create more consistent statewide requirements; O’Dare said peer support training must be specialized, linked to higher levels of care, and supported by sustainable funding and statewide coordination. The committee also heard from a public commenter who supported the work and emphasized the need for adequate resources and peer support infrastructure. The committee then received a Department of Children and Families presentation from Casey Penn on the proposed funding methodology for community-based care lead agencies under HB 7089. Penn explained that the new model is intended to be actuarially based, reimbursement-oriented, and more transparent than prior funding approaches, using historical expenditures, standardized reporting, and two main tiers: Tier 1 for largely fixed administrative and operational costs, and Tier 2 for direct child-serving costs based on per-child-per-month blended rates. He said the model includes a 2% risk corridor for Tier 2, hold-harmless funding in the first year, and optional Tier 3 performance incentives, with an estimated additional state appropriation need after offsets. Senators raised concerns about prevention, historical inequities, reasonableness of costs, administrative overhead, blended state and federal funds, adoption subsidies, high-acuity placements, and disaster-related disruptions. Penn said some of those issues could be addressed in future iterations as the child welfare information system is modernized, and he agreed to provide written responses to committee questions. Representatives of the Florida Coalition for Children and CBCs responded that the model is a major improvement but urged additional safeguards, including an administrative cap, clearer separation of direct and indirect costs, and better treatment of federal and pass-through funds. They argued that the system already has oversight and that deficits reflect insufficient appropriations rather than excess spending, while also noting that higher-acuity children and regional differences can drive costs. No votes were taken on either topic, and the meeting ended with committee staff introductions and adjournment.