Transcript Highlights:

• So we kind of nationally reversed course, and master's level psychologists or psychology practitioners
• Evidence shows no difference between doctoral-level psychologists and master's-level providers regarding
• But all that can also be administered by a master's-level or a specialist-level licensed psychological
• Maybe they've seen one before you have it, or you have their grades, or you have something.
• Maybe they've seen one before you have it, or you have their grades, or you have something.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Michelle Sanders and Kerry Zilstra up there with the sixth grade.
• They would take that on to the next level.
• That haven't provided this level of detail?
• To the level that the bill says?
• To provide this level of scrutiny in the financial picture?

Summary: The House opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the 58th day by roll call vote, 123-1. Members also introduced a number of special guests, including physicians, sheriffs, students, interns, and a police chief, before moving to third reading and perfection of bills. House Bill 1758, dealing with permanent daylight saving time in Missouri, was debated at length. Supporters said it would end the twice-yearly clock changes and argued it could benefit children, productivity, and quality of life. Opponents warned it would create darker morning commutes, safety concerns, and health issues tied to circadian rhythms. The bill passed third reading by a vote of 107-31 with two present. The chamber then perfected and printed House Bill 3329, which repeals expired or unused tax credits, and House Bill 3405, which clarifies that SALT/pass-through entity provisions are deductions rather than tax credits for Department of Revenue processing. Both bills were described as cleanup and efficiency measures, with supporters emphasizing accountability and reduced manual work at DOR; both moved forward without opposition in committee and were approved on the floor. Finally, House Bill 2426, a parental rights bill, drew extensive debate and an amendment. The bill would elevate parents’ rights in education, medical, privacy, and related decisions to a fundamental-rights standard and add provisions on school records, recordings, evaluations, and certain health-care decisions. Critics argued it was overly broad, could interfere with school operations and existing protections, and might create problems in areas such as IEPs, truancy, and medical consent; supporters said it simply codified and strengthened parental authority. House Amendment 1, focused on IEP procedures and requiring parental consent for major changes, was adopted 98-25 with six present, and debate on the underlying bill continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members and guests are asked to join the third grade class. Thank you.
• Members and guests are asked to join the third grade class of the Frederick Murphy School in leading
• Murphy School, the third grade class.
• What distinguishes the two are the levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in the plants.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed students from the Frederick C. Murphy School in Weymouth, along with other guests introduced by members. The chamber then suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow several petitions to be referred, including proposals on alcohol labeling for beers consumed on premises, parity in funding for regional vocational and traditional public schools, and legal protections for victims of childhood sexual abuse. The main floor business was House No. 4187, An Act Modernizing the Commonwealth’s Cannabis Laws, reported by Ways and Means as a substitute bill. Members speaking in support described it as a comprehensive overhaul of the Cannabis Control Commission and the state’s cannabis and hemp regulatory framework. The bill would reduce and restructure the CCC, expand options for cannabis businesses and social equity operators, raise license and ownership caps, remove the vertical integration requirement for medical marijuana, and create stronger rules for hemp and CBD products, including a ban on unregulated intoxicating hemp products and a new regulatory structure for allowable hemp beverages and CBD items. Several amendments were offered and adopted by roll call, including changes narrowing the hemp beverage ban from 11 ounces to 7.5 ounces, requiring out-of-state testing labs to be certified in good standing with the commission, and other technical revisions. After debate, the House passed H. 4187 to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 153-0. The chamber also passed to be engrossed two sick leave bank bills, for Andrew Satara and Dana Johnson, and ordered House No. 1590, establishing a sick leave bank for Eric J. Wenaka, to a third reading. The House then adopted an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And last thing I'll say, I remember walking down the 6th grade hallway at Rhodes Middle School, and I
• work with Dripping Springs Middle Schools that have had the outdoor education curriculum at the 7th grade
• they go hunting together and those are the kinds of connections that you want to make at the early levels
• Um, and to look at, um, what we've seen across the country and we look at the level of of um, Uh, mental
• invested in this, and did you make it to dance practice and, you know, you know, there is, there is a level

Bills: HB6, HB27, HB123, HB210, HB213, HB222

Keywords: hemp, consumable hemp products, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, Texas hemp law, hemp regulation, cannabinoid products, delta-9 THC, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, retail registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, youth access, minor sales

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not support the elimination of the only state-level support mechanism for 193-A home educators
• are gone by the end of third grade.
• We have a gentleman down here. gone by the end of third grade.
• So, all gone by the end of third grade.
• Thank you. state level, the Department of Education state level, the Department of Education hasn't<00

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, on a personal level, the Estancia Basin, I think is super important, as you know, Schwebach Farms
• Additionally, passage of House Bill 553 created the Timber Grading Act, which allows Emner to create
• and administer a certification program for the grading of structural timbers used in technology.
• So those would be kind of that high level that you're requesting, Senator.
• So I think that's the high level explanation of what they're going to do.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I suspect that we're going to continue to do that level of work.
• Let's just talk on the status, if you will, high level on two- issues.
• So the Army has a program. builder system that they grade our armories on.
• The 57% are graded as poor, 39% are fair, and only 4%. are good.
• There is no oversight at that at the federal level or at the state level, not in this state.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm thankful to Secretary Harris for really sitting down with us here at the state level and coming up
• Understand that as children, by the time they get in 10th, 11th, 12th grade...
• Senator Jones: ...By the time they get in 10th, 11th, 12th grade, they're not proficient because they
• when they had to start the process of the end-of-year assessments, send off the results, get the grading
• when they had to start the process of the end-of-year assessments, send off the results, get the grading

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 executive appointments. After explanation by Ethics and Elections Chair Don Gates, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad rural development package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties losing population, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care measures. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health provisions in light of a new federal rural health grant and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties spoke in support, while also asking about eligibility and access to grant funds. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision for later conforming legislation and changes to enrollment documentation and withdrawal procedures. Senators from both parties supported the bill while raising concerns about accountability, student oversight, and school quality. The bill passed 38-0. Afterward, the Senate waived rules so SB 250 and CS/SB 318 could be immediately certified to the House. The session ended with announcements, including Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and a reminder about the chamber group photograph, followed by adjournment until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the purpose of the bill is to create another level of government to check whether or not we agree
• This doesn't sound very efficient—create another level of government to oversee accreditation.
• students only take 15 hours, and once they take the 15 hours, they automatically qualify based on grades
• students only take 15 hours, and once they take the 15 hours, they automatically qualify based on grades

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard several bills and took no final votes, leaving each measure pending. The first major item, SB 1322 by Senator Hagenbuch, would create a Texas Higher Education Accrediting Commission to evaluate and approve accrediting agencies for public colleges and universities using outcome-based metrics such as retention, graduation, employment, debt, and repayment. Supporters, including Kate Byerley of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, argued the bill would add competition and align accreditation with Texas workforce needs; Senator Menendez questioned the need for a new bureaucracy and noted the $3.6 million fiscal note, suggesting existing reporting and oversight structures could serve the same purpose. The committee then heard SB 1998, which would establish a pediatric subspecialty preceptorship program to encourage medical students to enter pediatric subspecialties. Dr. Lauren Gamble testified in strong support, saying the program would help address shortages and improve access for children, especially in rural and underserved areas. SB 2788, authored by Senator Menendez, would add the PSAT as an accepted assessment for dual credit and Texas Success Initiative purposes; Priscilla Camacho of Alamo Colleges supported the bill, citing strong student outcomes and widespread use of the PSAT as a readiness indicator. Senator Creighton laid out SB 2076, which would remove or modify certain Capitol view corridor restrictions affecting the UT Austin Academic Medical Center project, including the planned specialty hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center expansion. He said the existing corridors are outdated and limit development. The committee also heard SB 1418, a cleanup bill replacing outdated references to ACT Plan with Pre-ACT and removing obsolete SAT subject test language. After brief testimony and no opposition on the later bills, the committee closed public testimony and left SB 1322, SB 1998, SB 2788, SB 2076, and SB 1418 pending before recessing for the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to filter further and further down, eventually get to the elementary school level to give kids
• You also then need to consider that it's 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.
• We wanted it to be two levels. The anticipated date for us to open this school is fall of 2028.
• At the state level, you guys hopefully lead this charge when we're talking to Dr.
• And we can’t do it at the speed or the level or with the reach that we have in K-12.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have children in a broom closet somewhere, the teachers still have to be background screened to a level
• So the background screening is part of that level two background screening that the teachers have to
• So the background screening is part of that level two background screening that the teachers have to
• reading level.
• And third-grade reading level is the strongest indicator that we know of for follow-on success in life

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee met and first took up HB 47, Child Care and Early Learning Providers, sponsored by Rep. McFarland. The bill was presented as an effort to reduce child care costs and regulatory burdens by exempting preschools from special tax assessments, moving teacher training and testing online and making it free, allowing abbreviated inspections for top providers, extending license-exempt status to employer-provided child care, and addressing an insurance issue affecting family child care homes. Members asked about DCF transparency, accreditation, background screening timelines, accountability for exempt facilities, and whether violations would still be searchable; McFarland said accreditation would still be required, DCF reporting and abuse hotlines would remain available, and the bill would not eliminate existing transparency for licensed providers. An amendment was adopted to add clarifying language and exempt certain DOD and Coast Guard child care facilities operated by DOD personnel. Several witnesses and members spoke in support, emphasizing workforce needs, affordability, and safety. HB 47 was reported favorably by a vote of 18-0. The committee then heard HB 259, which designates August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day. Rep. Gerwig said the bill is intended to raise awareness of fentanyl’s dangers and overdose risks. Members spoke in strong support, citing fentanyl’s impact on families, youth, and first responders, and the need for education because fentanyl is often unknowingly ingested or mixed into other drugs. Gerwig also described a personal example involving a child exposed to fentanyl in a vacation rental. HB 259 was reported favorably by a vote of 17-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It varies by the skill level, it varies by how much rust, whether they have to drill out bolts in the
• It varies by the skill level, it varies.
• McPeek was my second grade teacher. Yeah. That was a long time ago. Not that long ago.
• McPeek was my<00:31:30.240> second<00:31:30.640> grade<00:31:30.960> teacher.
• my second grade teacher. my second grade teacher. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Went over to grade and event for vocational high school along with another attorney, Attorney Martin.
• Went over to grade and event for vocational high school along with another attorney, Attorney Martin.
• In 2024, I was finally healthy enough to work for a full calendar year and secured an entry-level position
• the time of the shooting, my retirement benefits and income cap are based on a percentage of entry-level
• the time of the shooting, my retirement benefits and income cap are based on a percentage of entry-level

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its third hearing of the 194th General Court session, taking testimony on several individual bills and home rule petitions, mostly involving retirement and pension-related relief. The committee chair outlined hearing procedures, including three-minute limits for individuals, ten-minute limits for panels, livestreaming, and the deadline for written testimony. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted that House matters heard that day must be reported by Friday, July 11, 2025, subject to extensions, and the committee adjourned after testimony concluded. Several witnesses supported bills seeking retirement credit or pension adjustments for public employees. These included H. 2917 for Dedham-Westwood Water District employees seeking pension buy-in credit; H. 2976 for Eileen Mullen to purchase creditable service for teaching in a criminal justice pilot program; H. 2996 for Virginia Cummings, a retired Department of Correction lieutenant seeking greater pension parity; H. 2977 for Wendy Lopieri to buy back part-time community college service; and H. 2989 for Wayne Taylor, who said he was mistakenly credited for fewer years of select board service than he expected. Testimony emphasized long public service, injuries, and what witnesses described as unfair denials or flawed interpretations of retirement law. The committee also heard testimony on bills involving post-retirement earnings and disability-related relief. Kevin Blanchett testified in opposition to H. 2931, arguing it would improperly reduce money owed to a regional retirement system and its members, while the bill’s sponsor argued the retirement board was seeking an excessive recovery based on law firm gross earnings rather than the individual’s earnings. Jamie Magarian described severe injuries from a 2018 crash and urged favorable action on his bill, with support from the State Police Association. Michael Palmer testified in favor of S. 1841, seeking to extend prior violent-crime retirement income-cap relief to his case after being shot on duty and later finding that even part-time private-sector work exceeded his retirement earnings limit.

Transcript Highlights:

• they either suspend their benefit or their benefit gets reduced dollar for dollar above a certain level
• That's the end of my question. ...a certain level. Okay. That's the end of my questions.
• that worked on a bill that we think, I think... ...in various levels that worked on a bill that we think
• I mean, if I had a kid who was struggling in math and in seventh grade, he got this retired math teacher
• I mean, if I had a kid who was struggling in math and in seventh grade, he got this retired math teacher

Summary: The Senate Committee on Retirement met on May 5 with four members present. HB 41 was deferred until the following week, and the committee approved the April 20, 2026 minutes. The committee then took up several retirement-system bills, many of them negotiated measures involving municipal police, firefighters, teachers, district attorneys, and judges. HB 45, by Rep. Bacallat, was amended and reported favorably. It makes changes to the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, including retention bonuses, recognition of out-of-state police service, benefits for three officers killed in the line of duty before full enrollment, a DROP fix, and more competitive accrual rates. Testimony from the Louisiana Municipal Association, MEPERS, police representatives, and Mayor Helena Marino was strongly supportive, emphasizing that the bill resolves longstanding disputes and litigation. HB 1237, also by Rep. Bacallat, was reported favorably after testimony that it eliminates partial dissolution penalties for municipal police and adjusts related firefighter provisions; witnesses said it was a negotiated fix supported by municipal and fire stakeholders. HB 42, concerning phased retirement in the Teacher Retirement System, was reported favorably as a permissive framework allowing universities to offer phased retirement options. HB 17, by the District Attorneys’ Retirement System director, was reported favorably to add the Louisiana District Attorneys Association to the definition of employer and require annual reporting on the rehire statute. HB 21, a cleanup bill for the Municipal Employees Retirement System, was also reported favorably. HB 1134, creating a backdrop retirement option for certain judges whose positions are abolished, was amended and reported favorably after LASERS raised questions about early retirement eligibility and the need to bar future judicial candidacy. HB 24, by Rep. Owen, drew the most discussion. It would allow retired or certified teachers to return to work through contracts with school systems, with a three-year sunset. The sponsor argued it would help keep qualified teachers in classrooms and avoid midyear departures, while TRSL, the Louisiana School Board Association, and committee members raised concerns about fiscal impact, contractor status, workers’ compensation, leave rules, and overlap with a separate bill being worked on by the chairman. After an amendment clarifying the independent-contractor definition was adopted, the committee chose to hold the bill in committee for further work rather than advance it immediately. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I know some of them and, um, those teachers really rely on them in those younger grades.
• I mean, I know some of them and, um, those teachers really rely on them in those younger grades.
• I mean, I know some of them and, um, those teachers really rely on them in those younger grades.
• I mean, I know some of them and, um, those teachers really rely on them in those younger grades.
• I mean, I know some of them and, um, those teachers really rely on them in those younger grades.

Bills: HB0150

Keywords: Wyoming business council, economic development, task force, evaluation, policy reform, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , grade levels, school size, everything like that.
• , grade levels, school size, everything like that.
• , grade levels, school size, everything like that.
• of spending, the level of compensation versus the cost.
• of spending, the level of compensation versus the cost.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then moved through a series of conference committee appointments and reconsideration motions. Senator Axtman successfully moved to reconsider House Bill 1160, which had previously failed, and the chamber later passed it. HB 1160 creates a statewide bell-to-bell policy restricting personal electronic devices during instructional time; supporters argued it would reduce distractions, improve mental health and academic outcomes, and help teachers, while opponents raised local control concerns. The bill passed 42-4. The Senate also passed several other measures, including HB 1247 on protecting student victims of sexual offenses, HB 1489 consolidating civil protection orders into one chapter, HB 1032 making municipal courts courts of record and updating related procedures, HB 1487 authorizing a Minot facility for the Highway Patrol and Bureau of Criminal Investigation with a line of credit and emergency clause, HB 1469 requiring annual online statements of interest for public officials, HB 1199 creating the Missing and Indigenous People Task Force and related MMIP initiatives, HB 1169 regulating paid veterans benefits claim assistance with consumer protections, HB 1209 directing a foreign adversary threat assessment, and HB 3018 as amended to study water, wetlands, and taxation of inundated lands. Most of these passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 1169 drew substantial debate over veterans’ service options and HB 1209 passed on a narrower 40-7 vote. The chamber rejected or declined several other measures. HB 1455, which would have required the Indian Affairs Commission to review introduced legislation for tribal implications, failed 7-40 after concerns about an unfunded mandate and duplicative duties. HB 1259, which would have put North Dakota on year-round daylight saving time, was defeated 15-32 after debate over time zones, construction, recreation, and whether the issue should be left to future legislatures. HB 1555, dealing with statements of ownership for foreign organizations of concern, also failed 3-44. The Senate then moved to announcements and committee scheduling for later meetings and conference committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, they're not grading it.
• levels out of jail levels or higher risk levels out of jail with<00:58:44.400> our<00:58:44.720
• <01:20:33.280> often<01:20:33.679> reduce the national level level often reduce the
• level felonies.
• court on those higher level felonies. court on those higher level felonies.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, the MDE learned that they employed, at the federal level or at director level, a foreign
• <00:12:41.200> a federal level or uh at director level a federal level or uh at director level
• These are students between grades 10 through 12 throughout different schools in Hennepin County.
• <00:49:05.839> in are students between the grades in are students between the grades in grades
• <00:49:07.599> throughout grades 10 through 12th grade throughout grades 10 through 12th grade

Bills: HF3409, HF3487, HF3401

Keywords: immigration status, undocumented students, immigrant rights, K-12 education, public school enrollment, Plyler v. Doe, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, law enforcement access, ICE, immigration enforcement, civil lawsuit, private right of action, injunctive relief, mandamus, student records, directory information, parental engagement, equal access to education

Transcript Highlights:

• To make matters worse, on September 6th of 2020, in 2003, ERCOT initiated a level two energy emergency
• So now states' rights aren't really protected at the federal level, and that's what this bill does.
• It would take 48 seconds for a toxic plume to travel a mile from a utility-grade battery failure in the
• There is currently a utility-grade BESS located just 10 yards from a residence.
• The bill highlights the need for proper tools at a local level for planning, zoning, and communication

Bills: HB551, HB 1281, HB1378, HB1617, HB2868, HB2881, HB3374, HB4439, HB4726, HB4732, HB4878, HB4914, HB4921, HB4958, HB5200, HB5318, HB5360, HB5402, HB5568, HB5573, HB5623, HJR218

Keywords: political contributions, address privacy, Texas Ethics Commission, election transparency, campaign finance, international organizations, World Health Organization, jurisdiction, state law, enforcement, United Nations, World Economic Forum, attorney general, Texas attorney general, state sovereignty, legal enforcement, Texas Attorney General, electric energy storage, municipal regulation, county regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, these levels are high. It's a problem.
• There's a strong correlation between these levels of complaints and the levels of hydrogen sulfide that
• These are Teledyne T-101, so the reference-grade monitor.
• The kids are in South Bay Area School District, only 29% could read at grade level.
• In your school district, only 29% could read at grade level.

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly Environmental Quality/Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials informational hearing focused on the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis, with members from both parties emphasizing that the problem is long-running, cross-border, and severe enough to require federal, state, local, and binational action. Opening remarks described the crisis as an environmental and public health emergency affecting beaches, air and water quality, marine life, tourism, and residents’ quality of life in South Bay communities. Assembly Member Boerner and Senator Jones both stressed the need for continued funding and cooperation, while Senator Padilla said the issue is underappreciated because of where it occurs but has major public health, economic, and educational consequences. Congressman Mike Levin’s office reported more than $650 million in federal funding secured for infrastructure and cleanup, along with federal legislation and requests for CDC and EPA involvement. Supervisor Paloma Aguirre gave a detailed overview of county efforts and the scope of the crisis, citing decades of sewage flows from Tijuana, nearly four years of beach closures, and the county’s expanded water-quality monitoring. She said the county is pursuing warning signs, an air purifier distribution program, an epidemiological study, soil testing, an economic impact study, and a feasibility analysis to remove the “hot spot” near Saturn Boulevard, which she described as a key local source of airborne pollution. She also pointed to binational funding for treatment plant upgrades and said the county is seeking state support, including from Proposition 4 cross-border river funds, to expand relief and mitigation efforts. Scripps researchers Dr. Sarah Giddings and Dr. Kimberly Prather presented scientific findings on water and air transport. Giddings described a high-resolution forecast model that predicts wastewater movement and beach closure risk up to five days ahead, using real-time observations and showing about 72% accuracy against county measurements. Prather said the main exposure route is through air, not just water, and reported that turbulence at the river hot spot aerosolizes pollutants, with hydrogen sulfide and other gases spiking at night and dropping when river flow is diverted. She said the team has identified thousands of gases and linked measurements closely to odor complaints, while also noting that air purifiers can reduce indoor exposure but are not a permanent solution. Dr. Paula Stigler Granados added that community health surveys and CDC assessments show widespread symptoms, sleep disruption, anxiety, and daily life impacts, especially during nighttime odor events. She said her team has found more than 900 contaminants in river water and 106 chemicals uniquely associated with the Saturn Boulevard hot spot, with passive air sampling showing similar chemical fingerprints in nearby homes. The panel discussion ended with questions about standards and accountability, and witnesses and legislators agreed that the crisis requires updated air-quality standards, more health research, and continued coordination to reduce exposure and address the source of pollution.