Transcript Highlights:

• Some injured employees who live outside of the network service area are told they must drive long distances
• I learned that from him.
• When I was 20 years old, I participated in a work-based learning program through Workforce Solutions.

Bills: HB875, HB1667, HB2369, HB3844, HB4415, HB4479, HB4483, HB4676, HB5118, HB5400, HB5545

Keywords: workers' compensation, municipal construction, bidding requirements, small municipalities, contracting policies, first responders, PTSD, mental health, emergency services, medical expenses, injury claims, insurance carriers, opportunity youth, workforce development, employment, education, federal funds, employment discrimination, immunity waiver, public employees

Transcript Highlights:

• Pregnant women in rural Minnesota must drive further distances for care, and maternal mortality statistics
• levels of care as needed, and I find that they have made me a better obstetrician as I constantly learn
• levels of care as needed, and I find that they have made me a better obstetrician as I constantly learn

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I did, in trying to learn a little bit more about this bill, I did reach out to the fire marshal
• Um, I did, in trying to learn a little bit more about this bill, I did reach out to the fire marshal
• of bill where other people may have problems, other people may experience things, but you know we distance
• experience things um but you know we may experience things um but you know we we<01:35:30.520> distance
• <01:35:32.080> It we distance ourselves from that. It we distance ourselves from that.

Bills: HF3547, HF3651, HF4043, HF4282, HF4095

Keywords: fireworks, public safety, regulation, tax revenue, local government, sale, safety standards, fire safety, ethanol, fuel equipment, compatibility standards, law enforcement, peace officer, unauthorized practice, criminal justice, civics education, jail medication, correctional facility, detention, incarcerated persons

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got a really packed agenda full of great topics that the committee wanted to learn more about in
• We want students to learn the fundamentals, but also learn how to use AI and not have AI prevent their
• learning by giving them the answers.
• Another course is machine learning.
• One way in particular is really thinking about teaching and learning.

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's so much to learn.
• There's so much to learn.<00:25:53.440> But<00:25:53.679> it<00:25:54.000> does<
• 54.480> strike<00:25:54.880> me<00:25:55.200> that<00:25:55.919> every learn
• But it does strike me that every learn.
• such as uh distance from open water<01:00:42.799> open<01:00:43.200> water<01:00:43.440

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• because there's a lot to learn on this bill.
• What is true learning?
• For instruction and learning.
• And the learning curve of just learning the toggles and...
• But I would like to learn more.

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I grew up learning how to solder copper pipe and run Rox or on ethernet cable.
• I<00:51:08.760> grew<00:51:08.960> up<00:51:09.119> in<00:51:09.480> learning
• <00:51:09.799> how Carpenter um I grew up in learning how Carpenter um I grew up in learning
• that property has and sight distances that property has more<01:17:40.440> value<01:17:41.199
• It also provides an educational opportunity for students to learn from our own Liquor Commission during

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:36:19.920> and had a talk with the shop manager and had a talk with the shop manager and learned
• 20.480> kinds<00:36:20.640> of<00:36:20.800> things<00:36:21.040> about learned
• all kinds of things about learned all kinds of things about training<00:36:21.680> and<00:36:
• 55:58.400> for<00:55:58.559> longer<00:55:58.960> stopping<00:55:59.359> distances
• means for longer stopping distances. means for longer stopping distances.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 52:24.319> that<00:52:25.319> if<00:52:25.440> we<00:52:25.599> would learned
• early on is that if we would learned early on is that if we would have<00:52:25.920> put<00:52
• We can move that distance from their preferred location out to the broadest reach of the state and show
• <01:35:32.440> um entire State um we can move that um entire State um we can move that um distance
• from their preferred location distance from their preferred location out<01:35:35.800> to<01:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate File 75, a pilot project to test autonomous or semi-autonomous mowing and vegetation management along state highways. Senator Jasinski said the bill is intended to reduce traffic delays caused by ditch mowing and improve worker safety by moving crews out of active traffic. An A1 amendment was adopted to shift the funding source from the general fund to trunk highway funds. Testifiers from Bot Crew described robotic mowing technology, including remote piloting, autonomous navigation using LiDAR, cameras, GIS data, and obstacle detection, and said the machines could work at night and potentially reduce labor needs while improving safety. Members asked about mowing around guardrails, bridge features, and sensitive plants; the company said the system could be programmed to identify and avoid certain vegetation and could also be used for seeding. The committee then approved the bill, as amended, and re-referred it to finance. The committee next received the Department of Public Safety’s presentation on the governor’s budget request. Commissioner Bob Jacobson outlined an operating adjustment for DPS divisions, a request for grant administration authority to allow a portion of grant funds to cover oversight costs, and then turned to division-specific items. State Patrol Colonel Christina Bovich presented a request for $48.5 million in each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for a new metro headquarters, plus a recruitment proposal that would provide $1 million in each of 2026 and 2027 and $10 million in later years to expand recruiting, advertising, and academy capacity. She also proposed a change to the excessive-speed penalty so that driving more than 35 miles per hour over the limit would trigger a six-month license revocation, regardless of the posted speed zone. Members questioned the headquarters funding source, the cost of recruitment efforts, and academy expenses; Bovich said the academy costs about $350,000 per person and that the recruitment request would support broader outreach, including nationwide recruiting. Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hansen then presented a request for an additional $485,000 per year in trunk highway funds for planning and administration. He said the money is needed to cover rising operating costs, maintain the federal match for traffic safety grants, and support new federal public participation and engagement requirements tied to traffic safety funding. No votes were taken on the DPS budget items during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• because the owners of the vessel says, "We can't go out because we're going to be limited to the distance
• because it depends when the emergency, or let's say a hurricane, comes in, and it depends to what distance
• There's nowhere for them to travel the distances.
• There's nowhere for them to travel the distances.
• Point of clarity was because of the distances.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and arts-related measures. HB 307 on special member plates drew written support from Protect Ohana, and HB 531 on a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center specialty plate received strong support from the Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society, both emphasizing cancer research, patient care, outreach, and public awareness. HB 706 would require skateboard users under 16 to wear helmets, and HB 1231 would expand red light photo enforcement; both drew support from transportation and safety advocates, while the Judiciary raised concerns about citation volume, staffing, manual processing, and the need for consultation and a phased rollout. The committee also discussed HB 54, which increases penalties for repeated excessive speeding offenses; the Attorney General’s office supported the enforcement rationale and fingerprinting language, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it adds harsh penalties and jail time despite broader efforts to reduce excessive punishment. For the camera-enforcement bills, the Department of Transportation said the red-light and speed-camera programs would be expanded gradually, with existing intersections converted first and additional locations added over time, and noted that the system would require about $2 million and significant automation for the Judiciary. The Judiciary repeatedly asked for more time, public input on camera locations, and effective dates that would allow staffing and system changes. On HB 1166, which funds the automated speed enforcement program, DOT proposed technical amendments to make the citations non-moving violations and to align the statute with the red-light program; the Judiciary again said it had no position on the policy but needed time and consultation to absorb the workload. HB 235, a North Shore red-light imaging bill, drew similar Judiciary concerns and support from a testifier who said enforcement would improve compliance and reduce crashes. The committee also heard HB 1159 on commercial harbor evacuations, with Hawaii Emergency Management Agency supporting the bill as a way to give harbor masters enforceable authority to order vessels out during emergencies. The discussion focused on whether the measure would affect all commercial harbor users, including smaller fishing vessels, and whether it would conflict with Coast Guard authority; the bill’s proponents said it would let the state enforce orders already issued by the captain of the port and protect cargo lanes during crises. Finally, HB 17 on the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority was described by HCDA as a housekeeping and structural bill that would update its purposes, allow it to assist other agencies, and replace multiple county boards with a single program reporting to the 17-member board. DHHL supported the bill because of potential transit and infrastructure benefits for Kapolei and nearby homestead developments, and committee members discussed future financing tools such as improvement districts, TIF, and other mechanisms to fund infrastructure early in the development process.

Transcript Highlights:

• taking this committee together, but even as we've been going through this last couple of sessions, I learn
• this committee together but even you know as we've been going through this last couple of sessions I learn
• Learned so much from so many of you in this room last session and looking forward to doing so again this
• Learned so much from so many of you in this room last session and looking forward to doing so again this
• I think there's some distance between consumer advocates and industry on that one.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held an informational opening hearing for the Financial Services Committee, with Chair Murphy and Senator Feeney introducing new and returning members and explaining that no bills were being heard that day beyond brief introductory testimony. Commissioner of Banks Mary Gallagher thanked the committee for last session’s money transmission modernization law, and several members echoed appreciation for her office’s work. The hearing then featured a long series of stakeholder introductions and overviews of their priorities for the session. Testimony covered a wide range of financial, insurance, housing, health care, and consumer issues. Banking and mortgage groups discussed housing affordability, foreclosure delinquencies, flood insurance, regulatory changes, and the impact of federal policy shifts. Insurance representatives raised concerns about auto and homeowners market pressures, labor rates, tariffs, rebates, e-titling, third-party litigation funding, and public adjuster restrictions. Consumer and advocacy groups highlighted debt collection reform, earned wage access, retirement savings access, public banking, and consumer protections in financial services. Several speakers also emphasized the need for committee expertise and offered themselves as resources for future bills. Health-related organizations focused on insurance mandates, prior authorization, behavioral health access, pharmacy benefit manager reform, community health center funding, maternal health and midwifery reimbursement, and anesthesia reimbursement parity. Other groups, including credit unions, retailers, auto dealers, dental and medical associations, and behavioral health providers, described their roles in the Commonwealth and previewed legislation or policy areas they expect to follow this session. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and ended after testimony from the sign-up list and a few late additions.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2022, the OPMA was amended to address some of the needs of sort of distance meeting resulting from
• So we'll dig into both of these and we'll learn about both of those as we go along.
• So we'll dig into both of these and we'll, we'll learn about both of those as we go along.
• But now, even though we're going to be looking at all of those, we're going to be learning about all
• So again, we're going to be learning about these.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy approved its minutes by roll call vote, then postponed an OSA annual update due to a family emergency. The committee received an Open Public Meetings Act refresher from Assistant Attorney General Kate Adams, who reviewed key compliance points including quorum and serial meetings, notice and agenda rules, executive session limits, public comment requirements, and the consequences of violations. She also noted a litigation hold notice sent to members and provided resources for further guidance. Staff then briefed the committee on E2 Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which restates and terminates LEOFF 1 on June 30, 2029, creates a restated LEOFF 1 funded by transferred assets, and places excess assets into a pension surplus holding account that could later be used by the state. The bill requires DRS to seek IRS guidance, directs OSA to calculate the transfer amount and assess any future unfunded liability, assigns implementation duties to DRS, OSA, the Pension Funding Council, the State Investment Board, and the Treasurer, and requires two SCPP studies on LEOFF 1 medical benefits and policy oversight. OSA’s actuary estimated the transfer to the surplus holding account at about $3.9 billion under current assumptions and said the bill increases the modeled chance of future state contributions if the restated plan falls below 100% funded; members asked about IRS timing, the 2029 transfer date, and whether the 110% buffer is sufficient. The committee also received an update on the LEOFF 1 medical benefits study required by the bill. Staff said the study will examine the administration of pension boards and medical liabilities, likely focusing on medical benefits, and will gather anonymized data from local boards, cities, counties, and related agencies over the next three years. Members and public commenters discussed the number and structure of local boards, whether spouses receive medical benefits, and the possibility of regionalizing or consolidating administration. No action was taken, but staff said they would return with milestones and further updates. Finally, staff outlined a possible Plan 3 study, prompted by DRS, to evaluate whether the original goals of Plan 3 have been met after 30 years. The proposed study would review historical context, member choice outcomes, policy questions, and possible recommendations over a two-year period. The committee also heard an update on new correspondence procedures, including a new online web form, a correspondence log in meeting packets, and removal of correspondence from the public website. During public comment, retiree groups urged the committee to pursue an ongoing COLA for PERS and TRS Plan 1, with interim ad hoc COLAs until then, while LEOFF 1 retirees urged caution about changing the current board structure and emphasized the complexity of medical benefit administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I can tell you what I learned from that became really scary because I didn't realize that our own

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And he will share some of the lessons we've learned since July 4th.
• That's me learning more of what my role is now.
• What lessons have we learned, or can we do differently?
• What have we learned?
• Provide our, what we learn, not only the past knowledge but also the new knowledge in AI. machine learning

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Therefore, I put it in my hands to learn more about how to work with pregnant women and mothers, and
• Support International because, through their perinatal mental health certification, I was able to learn
• And we all should be required to learn about perinatal mental health and should have access to it, because
• So we don't want to have barriers such as distance and transportation, but also making sure that the
• I'm going to share some of our lessons learned today because I think they're important.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery held a public hearing on 17 bills focused on behavioral health workforce shortages, studies, and commissions. Chairs Mindy Domb and Senator John Velis opened by emphasizing the severity of the Commonwealth’s mental and behavioral health workforce crisis, the resulting gaps in access to care, and the legislature’s ongoing use of loan repayment programs, studies, and commissions to address these issues. They outlined hearing procedures and noted that testimony would be limited to three minutes, with written testimony also accepted. A major portion of the hearing focused on bills to expand the primary care workforce, including H. 2205/S. 1385, which would broaden eligibility for the Mass RePay loan repayment program. Testimony from the Massachusetts Medical Society, Senator Jo Comerford, and Dr. Kate Atkinson described severe primary care shortages, long wait times, physician burnout, high debt burdens, and the need to recruit and retain physicians in more practice settings and regions. Committee members asked about the likely impact of loan repayment, the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and how to prioritize limited funding. Witnesses argued that primary care investment improves access and outcomes and that the bill would help sustain community-based practices. Another large block of testimony supported H. 2208/S. 1411, the proposed perinatal behavioral health care workforce trust fund, often referred to as the Moms Matter Act. March of Dimes, perinatal mental health advocates, doulas, clinicians, parents, and organizations such as the Boston Public Health Commission and Empty Arms Bereavement Support testified that postpartum depression, anxiety, substance use, and grief are widespread, often untreated, and worsened by long waitlists and a shortage of trained, culturally competent providers. Speakers repeatedly stressed that screening alone is not enough without a workforce to provide timely treatment, and several shared personal stories of postpartum illness, loss, and difficulty accessing care. The bill was also framed as a needed complement to the Commonwealth’s recent maternal health law, which increased screening and therefore increased demand for treatment. The committee also heard support for the Bridge Act, H. 2207/S. 1388, which would create mental health capacity grants for organizations serving communities at high risk of hate crimes or hate incidents. Testimony from the Jewish Community Relations Council and the bill’s sponsor described the mental health harms of hate, including anxiety, trauma, isolation, and loss of trust, and argued that community organizations need resources to build resilience and provide support. In addition, the committee heard from the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association on H. 2218/S. 1380, which would update job classifications to explicitly include licensed mental health counselors and licensed supervised mental health counselors in state behavioral health roles. Witnesses said the change would modernize hiring, expand access, and better reflect current licensure and scope of practice. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the session ended with a motion to adjourn after all testimony was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to be hopefully a list of resources that members of the public can utilize to learn more about
• Kimmel looked into some research about this, but further distance from harm reduction sites often leads
• Donahue talked to, including Learn to Cope, Rise in the Safe Coalition.
• They should include specific learning... ...presented in an accessible manner.
• They should include specific learning objectives to increase knowledge about the harms of xylazine exposure

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The special commission on xylazine met virtually to review and discuss the first draft of its final report. Chair Mindy Domb opened the meeting, confirmed quorum, and the commission approved the minutes from its December 11 public meeting. Staff then walked commissioners through the proposed report structure, including background on xylazine as both an FDA-approved veterinary drug and an illicit drug supply contaminant, as well as appendices for public meeting materials and public resources. The commission discussed findings and recommendations for several working groups. For oversight and enforcement, members focused on licit versus illicit sources of xylazine, noting that the illicit supply is typically obtained through online vendors rather than diverted from veterinary use. Recommendations included better storage and reporting practices in authorized settings, review of manufacturing and distribution information, and focusing enforcement on fentanyl trafficking and large-scale xylazine importation rather than personal possession. Commissioners also discussed whether xylazine should remain in Schedule 6 or be subject to additional penalties, and several members emphasized the need for coordination, information-sharing, and possibly a DPH task force or advisory body to monitor emerging drug threats. For outreach and treatment, staff summarized strong existing programs such as drug checking, wound care education, naloxone distribution, mobile and low-threshold care, and self-directed wound kits, while noting gaps including the lack of an FDA-approved reversal agent for xylazine, difficulty distinguishing xylazine from other exposures, and uneven access by geography, insurance, and audience. Commissioners stressed the need for provider education, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, family support networks, and first responders, and for clear guidance on wound care and when more intensive treatment is needed. The education and training section identified first responders, clinicians, non-clinicians, and people who use drugs and their families as key audiences for tailored, stigma-free materials, with emphasis on real-time, centralized data, naloxone and breathing support, recognition of overdose versus xylazine exposure, and adapting materials as the drug supply changes. The meeting ended with discussion of next steps: staff will circulate a revised draft by March 2, the commission will meet again on March 9 to consider the report and recommendations, and an additional late-March meeting was reserved if needed before the statutory deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• experience that slowdown late last year, which also included kind of a rise in our claim levels, staff learning
• Because the other thing that we have learned I think in this transition whether you're in the private
• in this hearing is the health implications of being forced back into an office. with no social distancing
• , as if we have learned nothing from the previous pandemic.
• This mandate disregards the lessons we've learned over the past several years.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I was on, on this committee and enjoyed it very much, got to learn a term that I'd never heard before
• Uh, learned that what that means is when a veteran unfortunately finds himself in your county jail, maybe
• Well, when I learned about justice involved veterans, this is one of those bills that I filed and all
• didn't mention it in my layout, but I do believe the bill refers to the, uh, height limit and the distance
• resources available for veterans, but, um, there is not a, it's until they need the help, or they learn

Transcript Highlights:

• But I want to commend the three of you and say thank you for traveling a great distance to come up here
• schools, shelters, long-term care facilities to really help them understand how to stop the spread, learning
• how to separate your populations, learning how to, you know, use masks, different things like that.
• And removing these funds puts us back to where we were pre-COVID, and we should have learned a lesson
• And removing these funds puts us back to where we were pre-COVID, and we should have learned a lesson

Summary: The subcommittee held an oversight hearing on federal actions affecting California’s public health and family planning systems, focusing first on the freeze to Title X family planning funds and then on broader CDC/public health grant terminations. Chair and members described the cuts as abrupt, harmful, and likely to create major gaps in disease surveillance, vaccination, contraception, STI testing, and other preventive services, while also criticizing the federal administration’s explanation that the actions were tied to DEI or civil-rights compliance. The chair thanked Attorney General Bonta for legal action and said the hearing was intended to document the real-world impacts and inform state budget responses. Witnesses from Essential Access Health, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, a Central Coast clinic, and other providers said California’s Title X network serves more than half a million low-income patients annually and relies on the funds for staffing, outreach, training, mobile and school-based clinics, and confidential care. They warned that the freeze has already forced reserve spending, delayed services, and could lead to layoffs, reduced hours, longer waits, and fewer appointments, especially for sexual and reproductive health care. Public comment included support for a proposed state backfill of Title X losses, with advocates emphasizing impacts on low-income, LGBTQ+, and communities of color. On the public health side, CDPH, county health officials, and local health officers testified that the CDC’s rescission of $11.4 billion in grants would affect California by an estimated $840 million and threaten lab capacity, immunization programs, health disparities work, and data systems such as CalConnect and vaccine registries. Sacramento County and others described how the grants supported outbreak response, sequencing, community vaccination clinics, and equity-focused partnerships, and said terminations had already led to canceled appointments, stopped contracts, and layoffs. Several speakers urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state “future of public health” funding and to backfill federal losses, while public commenters from HIV, immunization, labor, and county organizations echoed concerns about workforce losses and worsening health outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe we could do some trade, and if I can get a bill through your committee to limit the distance from
• training, manage shared use of equipment between districts and adult learners, and make sure students learn
• So there's an extraordinary amount that can be learned among the peers in the workforce investment boards
• So there's an extraordinary amount that can be learned among the peers in the workforce investment boards
• I am the director of advocacy for learning. Hi, good afternoon. My name is Courtney Chavez.

Bills: SB913, SB1086, SB1087, SB1143, SB1534, SB1553, SB1718, SB1754, SB2004, SB2322, SB2448

Keywords: hotel occupancy tax, municipal revenue, tax code, local government funding, Texas legislation, county taxation, economic development, hotel industry, local government, counties, taxation, tourism, workforce development, youth programs, employment, education, technical training, health physics, higher education, nuclear energy

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills, mostly related to economic development, tax incentives, and workforce programs. Senate Bill 1534 would direct a study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission on health physics education and workforce needs; resource witnesses from the Workforce Commission and Coordinating Board testified, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1553 would authorize Kerr County to impose a hotel occupancy tax for tourism-related uses, and Senate Bills 1086 and 1087 would authorize similar county hotel taxes for Children’s County and Mason County; all three bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1754, which would prohibit county and local tax abatements for renewable energy facilities selling power wholesale, with testimony sharply divided between landowners and policy groups opposing renewable subsidies and industry representatives and some senators arguing the bill would harm clean energy investment and local decision-making; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2322, which would exempt dispatchable electric generation facilities from the JEDI program’s compelling-factor test so they could qualify for school district tax incentives; testimony was mixed, and the bill was left pending. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 1718, which would add the NRA annual meeting to the state’s major events reimbursement program. The bill’s sponsor and NRA representatives argued the event brings substantial tourism and economic activity, while opponents said it would use taxpayer funds to subsidize an organization that opposes gun safety measures; the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2004 would add the Arlington Grand Prix to the major events reimbursement program, with the committee substitute exempting it from the usual competitive site-selection requirement because of timing; testimony from the event organizers and Arlington tourism officials was supportive, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2448 would create a rural workforce development grant program at the Texas Workforce Commission to support college-and-career readiness and technical assistance in rural communities; witnesses from Texas 2036, Collegiate Edgination, and a rural school district supported it, and it was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 913 would repeal a special requirement that Alpine dedicate at least 50% of its hotel occupancy tax to advertising and promotion, and Senate Bill 1143 would require more coordination and reporting for youth workforce programs serving disconnected young Texans; both bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. At the end of the hearing, Senator Johnson moved that the committee stand in recess, subject to the call of the chair.