Transcript Highlights:

• Members, we had to backtrack on one vote from a procedural issue.
• In terms of the Supreme Court ruling, correct, that said that they could.
• In terms of the Supreme Court ruling, correct.
• Also, the rules of civil procedure do allow you to provide for filing a petition to quash.
• That's rewriting the rules mid-game, something no fair society should ever do.

Bills: SB1113 , SB1117 , SB1206 , SB1460 , SB1802 , SB1906 , SB1917 , SB2340 , SB2455 , SB2680 , SB2690 , SB705 , SB748

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The committee took up pending business first and reported several bills favorably, including SB 2139, SB 2610, SB 1856, SB 2530, SB 2401, SB 2858, and SB 3016, with most of those measures moving out on committee substitutes and being sent to the local and uncontested calendar or to the full Senate. The committee also heard SB 1906 on expanding Chapter 342E consumer lending rates; supporters argued it would modernize Texas law and expand access to safe, regulated credit, while opponents from Texas Appleseed and AARP warned it would raise costs on already expensive loans and worsen debt burdens. SB 1906 was left pending after testimony. The committee also reconsidered and re-voted SB 1856 after a procedural issue, with the substitute ultimately adopted and the bill reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 1113, which would clarify that certain vehicle converters, including a Texarkana business, do not need an additional dealer license to sell converted vehicles. The bill’s supporters described a long-standing business model and said the new metal license plate rules had created problems, while the Texas Automobile Dealers Association opposed the bill in its current form and said it could be resolved through DMV action or narrower changes. DMV said it was still researching a possible administrative fix, and SB 1113 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2680, a Public Information Act cleanup bill dealing with emergency deadlines, business-day exclusions, and litigation timing; broadcasters and other open-government advocates argued the issues were already addressed by prior law and court rulings, while the Attorney General’s office said the bill would help with catastrophe notices and timing conflicts. SB 2680 was left pending. Other bills heard included SB 1117, which would allow any Texas-licensed dentist to administer botulinum toxin neuromodulators for aesthetic purposes in the oral and maxillofacial region; the author and dental witnesses said it would clarify scope and improve access, and the bill was left pending. SB 2340 would clarify the Attorney General’s investigative authority over Texas corporations, including pre-suit depositions and sworn written questions; opponents raised due process and separation-of-powers concerns, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard SB 705 and SB 748, both TDLR cleanup bills, and SB 1206, which would impose timelines and notice requirements on municipalities reviewing transmission projects; SB 1206 was supported by an electric cooperative and left pending. SB 1460, creating an ethics violation registry tied to licensing consequences, drew constitutional and due-process objections from several witnesses and was also left pending. After a recess, the committee heard SB 1802 on landlord duties to repair mobility assistance devices like elevators and ramps in rental housing, with the author describing prolonged outages affecting seniors; the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 2455, creating an Energy Waste Advisory Committee to coordinate efficiency and demand-response programs, drew support from energy-efficiency and environmental witnesses and was left pending, and SB 2690, targeting deceptive business-certification solicitations, was laid out and opened to testimony before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair hears none, and the rules are suspended. Thank you. eat them up cats.
• Sometimes judges are the rule of law's last line of defense. But the front line.
• In the battle for the rule of law are not courtrooms. And the warriors are not judges.
• And that is not the rule of law. It sounds much more like the rule of judges.
• The Supreme Court can amend the rules of civil procedure, and I welcome your ideas for changes along

Transcript Highlights:

• agents for the state lottery ticket sales or for the committee on licensing and administration. procedures
• limitations on health care liability claim involving certain gender modification drug to and the procedures
• On elections hb 1091 by paul relating to the practices and procedures for an early voting ballot voted
• increasing a criminal penalty refer to the committee on criminal jurisprudence hb10893 by lampert ruling
• based on biological sex requirements, physical examinations, and genetic testing. and the adoption of rules

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to the rule for public safety purposes. to the rule for public safety purposes.
• </c> grievance procedure grievance procedure that<01:03:11.920><c> provides</c><01:03:12.600><c> for<
• </c> procedure from state statute. procedure from state statute.
• And and our would rule in their cases.
• </c><01:19:30.680><c> solely</c> that took away from them ruling solely that took away from them ruling

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Without understanding these patient outcomes, the rules and laws written will continue to inadvertently
• We didn't have policies and procedures. We have those things. We've been building.
• So maybe we can look at revisiting the rules and the Wording, and we can work through that.
• So we have policies and procedures regarding the body camera.
• They follow those policies and procedures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Lawson definitely is the epitome of the 80-20 rule.
• This bill preserves that general rule.
• We will do one more bill and then have some procedural matters.
• We'll do one more bill and then have some procedural matters.
• We are just going to roll with them under suspension of rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• The following calendar rule for floor consideration the clerk will read the rule Rule for floor consideration
• The rule is effective.
• The calendar rules.
• Following calendar rule for consideration, the clerk will read the rule.
• The rule is adopted.

Bills: HJR1 , HJR2 , HB9 , HB22 , HB908 , HB1392 , HB195 , HB 13 , HB143 , HB135 , HJR1 , HJR2 , HB9 , HB22 , HB908 , HB1392

Keywords: constitutional amendment, property tax, ad valorem tax, tax exemption, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, equipment exemption, machinery, local government finance, school district revenue, county taxes, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, tax relief, commercial property, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer

Transcript Highlights:

• They should be 2409 by cane ruling for the prohibition on government contracts with Chinese companies
• Criminal Jurisprudence. 41 engineering licensure for the committee on licensing and administrative procedures
• beverages to consumers, creating criminal offense for the committee on licensing and administrative procedures
• HB 2449 by Hicklin relating to the discovery requirements of the procedure of defendants in a criminal
• districts and open enrollment charter schools for the committee on public Education HB 2563 by Ashby ruling

Transcript Highlights:

• But yeah, you have to figure each election is going to have its own set of rules, or you're going to
• So that is all covered by rule.
• Rambo: I mean, we do have procedures for knowing that a box of ballots did not come back.
• But there are procedures for knowing that a box of ballots went missing.
• There's not a procedure.

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from several county supervisors of elections and the Florida Supervisors of Elections Association on the 2024 election cycle and priorities for the 2025 session. They described very high turnout in the presidential election, major operational planning needs, and the heavy reliance on seasonal workers, list maintenance, ballot-on-demand systems, and secure chain-of-custody procedures. They also discussed the impact of recent legislative changes on voter-roll maintenance, including inactive voter removal, and said Florida’s election administration has improved to what they called a “platinum standard.” The supervisors outlined several legislative requests: allowing more than one non-government “wild card” early voting site to improve access and emergency flexibility; requiring newly naturalized citizens to update driver’s license information so voter records match DHSMV data; exempting home addresses of certain election workers and ballot transporters from public records to improve safety and recruitment; restoring a checkbox on vote-by-mail return envelopes so voters can stay on the vote-by-mail list for the next cycle; aligning base salaries for supervisors, property appraisers, and clerks with other constitutional officers; and reducing ballot length by removing precinct committee races from the ballot. They also said they expect a committee bill to carry some of these proposals. Members questioned the panel about ballot transport security, signature verification, vote-by-mail expiration, public records transparency, and the petition process for constitutional amendments. The supervisors said ballots are transported under detailed county plans with tamper-evident seals, chain-of-custody logs, trained workers, and in some cases two-person transport teams. On petitions, they said the process is labor-intensive and expensive, that fraud has occurred in some cases, and that they favor reforms such as requiring more personal identifying information and having initiative sponsors mail petitions to voters rather than making supervisors handle the mailing. They also said signature mismatches can be cured within 72 hours after Election Day and that voters are notified when possible. After the supervisors’ presentation, the committee also heard brief public testimony from Kathleen Griffiths, who urged adoption of commercial-style risk management standards in election systems and referenced several election-related bills her group supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finding two: Arkansas State Board of Finance Rule 2012A states that all cash funds on deposit with a
• Rule 2012A states that all cash funds on deposit with a bank or financial institution that exceed FDIC
• The amount uncollateralized by Rule 2012A was approximately $105,000, or 105% of the amount not covered
• Are there procedures? Do you know?
• We identified that the office did not have the policies and procedures in place to ensure the financial

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Summary: The committee met to consider audit reports and first adopted the minutes, then deferred the Health Department special report at the request of Representative Mary Bentley. Staff presented two reports with findings and six reports without findings, with the latter recommended to be filed. The first report discussed was the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism FY25 audit, which had two findings: an apparent unauthorized payroll direct deposit of nearly $2,400 involving impersonation of an employee, and a bank account that was temporarily uninsured and uncollateralized by about $105,000. Agency officials said the collateral issue has been corrected, and members questioned the adequacy of monthly checks, the lack of recovery or prosecution in the payroll incident, and whether stronger safeguards are needed. On motion, the committee deferred this report to a later meeting so the agency could return with additional answers. The committee then heard the Treasurer of State FY25 report, which found that liabilities were understated by nearly $335 million because year-end obligations tied to Act 1017 and county aid distributions were not properly recorded. Treasurer’s office staff said the issue was a timing/bookkeeping matter rather than a delay in transferring funds, and that the office concurred with the audit adjustment. After questions, the committee voted to accept the Treasurer of State report. The chair announced the next meeting would be September 10, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Policy changes to Federal Student Aid, accountability rules, and accreditation may reshape higher education
• Policy changes to Federal Student Aid, accountability rules, and accreditation may reshape higher education
• , but us documenting whether what they have been doing is sufficient or compliant with established rules
• To confirm that that is loss, the Bureau's STRF claim adjudication procedures assess whether a student
• So, of course, that rule was first put into place in 2011, reconstituted in 2014, and then rescinded

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, procedurally, I'm pretending to be procedural, but go ahead. Well, I'll pretend with you.
• Procedurally. I'm pretending to be procedural, but go ahead. Well, I'll pretend with you.
• Ma'am, I would say, I'm pretending to be procedural, but go ahead. Well, I'll pretend with you.
• First, the rule of law. The statutes governing gaming in Florida are what we are going to follow.
• Ensuring fair play and rule enforcement is critical to safe and legal gaming.

Bills: S0468 , S0822 , S1234 , S1260 , S1580 , S1706

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Transcript Highlights:

• Usually the chairman is able to push this rule review to the vice chair here. ...to push this rule review
• then also point out that we went through a few changes with the DEQ to try to make it so that these rules
• itself, skipping the first few pages of the rules, you know, procedural stuff, and make sure that it
• comports with your understanding. ...few pages of the rules, you know, procedural stuff, and make sure
• Okay, having said that, we will be reviewing the rules here probably next week.

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Transcript Highlights:

• So what are those rules? I didn't understand the question. Say that again, please.
• The commission rules, we would have to comply with those. Can you tell me what those rules are?
• So what are those rules? I didn't understand the question. state, us. So what are those rules?
• The commission rules, we would have to comply with those. Can you tell me what those rules are?
• compact, so we will get to help promulgate some of those rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rules Committee for enrolling. February 12, 2006. Mr.
• Rules Committee for enrolling. February 12, 2006, Mr.
• In the Senate, Senate, Bill 1250 by Judiciary and Rules Committee.
• In the Senate, Senate Bill 1240 by Judiciary and Rules Committee.
• This bill retains multiple item procedures that are working well.

Transcript Highlights:

• impact on small entities, and these rules were normal rules, not emergency rules.
• impact on small entities, and these rules were normal rules, not emergency rules.
• These rules were not adopted as emergency rules.
• These rules were not adopted as emergency rules.
• rules.

Summary: The Administrative Rules Committee met on June 11 and first approved the March 12, 2026 minutes by voice vote. It then granted the Board of Medicine an extension of time to implement rules tied to recent legislation, including North Dakota’s participation in the physician assistant licensure compact and a new physician nutrition continuing education requirement. The Board said it was waiting on compact rules and fee information before finalizing its own changes. The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the Office of Management and Budget on broad personnel rule revisions, including salary administration, recruitment, leave, sick leave, funeral leave, service awards, appeals, and shared leave. OMB said the changes modernize HR language and implement recent legislation such as enhanced annual leave for hard-to-fill positions and new hire leave. Members questioned the hard-to-fill leave provisions, but OMB and counsel said those standards come from statute, not the rules. The committee also heard and accepted rule packages from the Lottery, the Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, the State Electrical Board, the Industrial Commission, PERS, and Health and Human Services, with each agency describing mostly technical, clarifying, or statutory-conforming changes and noting the public notice and comment process. The most significant action came during the Gaming Commission rules presentation. After questioning whether the commission had authority to raise the poker tournament buy-in limit from $300 to $1,500, members moved to void Section 99-01.3-09-01 on the ground that the agency lacked statutory authority for that change. The motion passed on a roll call vote. The committee also discussed several gaming-related issues, including online raffles, kiosk use, advertising restrictions, and the broader policy question of whether charities should be allowed to own bars, but took no further formal action on those topics.

Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose is to give you a clear understanding of how these procedures affect investigations, what
• The Florida Supreme Court has ruled this subpoena process is the exclusive procedure for obtaining medical
• The process is the exclusive procedure for obtaining medical records.
• For procedures for deceased suspects...
• For procedures for deceased suspects, on deceased suspects, privacy rights do not apply.

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee convened with a quorum present and heard a presentation from FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard on homicide investigations, blood evidence, toxicology, medical records, and mental health records. Pollard explained that autopsy toxicology and medical examiner records are often critical in death investigations, but access to hospital blood tests, medical records, Baker Act records, and substance abuse treatment records is restricted by Florida law, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2, usually requiring subpoenas, court orders, or consent. He also noted that autopsy reports are generally public, while photographs are confidential, and that medical examiners can access relevant prior medical history of decedents. Members questioned Pollard about what toxicology panels include, whether medications can be tested for, and whether medical examiner reviews can help determine if a deceased person had stopped taking prescribed psychiatric medication. Pollard said toxicology can include alcohol, drugs, and specific medications when relevant, but routine access to living suspects’ medical information is limited. He also discussed FDLE’s behavioral threat assessment work and said investigators may follow leads involving mental health treatment or facility releases when relevant to a case, though he could not speak to regulatory follow-up. The committee also discussed risk protection orders, with Pollard saying FDLE has used them effectively and that they can help prevent violence and connect individuals to services. The discussion then shifted to FDLE laboratory turnaround times and public safety impacts. Pollard said the average DNA turnaround time was 208 days for some cases, while sex assault kits are prioritized and generally remain under 90 days, with rush cases sometimes completed within 24 hours. He said backlog is tied to staffing and analyst capacity, and that faster processing is especially important in unsolved violent and sexual assault cases because delays can leave offenders on the street. The committee also noted that increased toxicology demands would affect toxicology staffing and workload, though not DNA processing. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• economic impact on small entities, and these rules were normal rules, not emergency rules.
• The rules were normal rules, not emergency rules.
• These rules were not adopted as emergency rules.
• You could void the rule, amend the rule, or carry over the rule to determine whether it would be appropriate
• rules.

Committee: Joint Administrative Rules Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, none of the newly proposed rules were emergency rules.
• impact on small entities, and these rules were normal rules, not emergency rules.
• These rules were not adopted as emergency rules.
• You could void the rule, amend the rule, or carry over the rule to determine whether it would be appropriate
• rules.

Committee: Joint Administrative Rules Committee

Summary: The committee approved the March 12, 2026 minutes and granted the Board of Medicine an extension of time to implement rule changes tied to House Bill 1620/1622, which concern North Dakota’s entry into the physician assistant licensure compact. The Board said it is waiting on compact rules, especially fee structures, before finalizing its own rules. The committee then took up extensive Office of Management and Budget personnel rule revisions, covering salary administration, recruitment, leave policies, funeral leave, service awards, appeals, and shared leave. OMB said the changes modernize HR practices and implement recent legislation, including new hire leave and enhanced annual leave for hard-to-fill positions; the committee raised concerns about the subjectivity and fairness of the hard-to-fill leave provisions, but no action was taken against the rules. The North Dakota Lottery presented emergency and regular rule changes, including updates tied to the Millionaire for Life game and miscellaneous clarifications. The Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology described rule updates that add speech-language pathology assistants to the rules, ease continuing education requirements for out-of-state applicants, expand temporary licensure, and clarify supervision standards. The State Electrical Board reviewed numerous code updates, including changes to electrical and fire alarm standards, receptacle labeling, countertop receptacles, and a major new conveyance/elevator inspection program added by the Legislature; the board said it is preparing to begin inspections by August 1. The Industrial Commission’s Geological Survey Division presented new rules implementing House Bill 1459 on critical minerals in coal-bearing formations, including permit, reporting, confidentiality, and royalty-related provisions. The committee asked about confidentiality of exploration data and drilling depth. The Public Employees Retirement System outlined rule changes implementing several bills affecting defined benefit, public safety, defined contribution, insurance, deferred compensation, and retiree health credit programs, and noted possible future proposals to add state EMS or create a LOSAP-style plan. The Department of Health and Human Services presented substance use disorder voucher rules implementing House Bill 1012, including allowing individuals to apply directly and setting reimbursement procedures; the rules were expected to have a $250,000 general fund impact already included in the budget. The longest discussion involved the Gaming Commission rules. Members questioned whether the commission had authority to raise poker tournament buy-ins from $300 to $1,500, viewing it as an expansion of gaming rather than a mere clarification. After debate, the committee voted to void that specific rule section for lack of statutory authority. The rest of the gaming rules covered higher raffle limits from House Bill 1192, the change from “bar” to “alcoholic beverage establishment,” veterans’ organization proceeds, credit ticket voucher kiosks, online raffles, and advertising restrictions; the presenter said several public comments led to revisions or withdrawals of proposed language. The meeting ended with discussion of upcoming Ethics Commission travel-reporting rules and scheduling the next committee meeting in September.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and adopt the rules. and adopt the rules.
• With<00:17:32.559><c> those</c><00:17:32.799><c> rules,</c> With those rules, With those rules, you'll
• > weren't</c> know the rules because the rules weren't know the rules because the rules weren't codified
• The department has procedures.
• </c> expensive rule making procedure. expensive rule making procedure. um<01:00:21.040><c> with</c><01

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources