Transcript Highlights:

• I think you have referenced perhaps being under the influence of alcohol specifically in this, but it
• The Chavez County Commission has already passed it under the authorization that that is a state/county
• The principles of one person, one vote, freedom of association, and equal protection under the law are
• , telling the federal government of which we have no real influence over.
• I represent 25% of the landmass of New Mexico, from Socorro. ...drive.

Bills: SR1 , SM1 , SM6

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Keywords: alcohol consumption, Senate rules, legislative conduct, ethics, New Mexico Senate, redistricting, gerrymandering, election integrity, Congress, voter rights, political polarization, Nancy Lopez, Roswell bypass, US Highway 285, U.S. Highway 285, Highway 285 bypass, road naming, highway naming, memorial, transportation department

Transcript Highlights:

• Today I'm honored to introduce the Rohnert Park, 11-and-under, Cal Ripken All-Star Baseball team to the
• be the only California team at the Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series Championship.
• Symphony Under the Sky and Trissa Swardlow, who’s with the Placer Arts Tour as well.
• Unfortunately, Members, this is the same fear that so many families are living with today under the unjust
• address and place the husband under arrest.

Summary: The Assembly met on July 17, 2025, after a quorum call and prayer, then moved through a long ceremonial and floor session. The chamber recognized the 2025 Science and Technology Policy Fellows, the 2024-25 Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellows, and the 2025 Assembly Fellows, and also heard guest introductions honoring Brad Webb of Legislative Counsel, youth advocates supporting AB 1231, the Live Oak Lady Lions softball team, the new UC President J.B. Milliken, the Rohnert Park 11-and-under Cal Ripken All-Star team, and arts leaders from Auburn. The Assembly also took up several procedural motions, including removing some bills from the consent calendar and noting absences. On the floor, members adopted ACR 12 designating November 1 as Fernando Valenzuela Day, with broad support and 66 co-authors, and later adopted H.R. 56 recognizing August 2025 as Chicano Heritage Month, with 65 co-authors. The Assembly also adopted ACR 101 naming a portion of State Highway Route 46 the James Dean Memorial Highway, and H.R. 50 proclaiming November 25, 2025, as Elimination of Violence Against Women Day, with members emphasizing survivor support and prevention. In each case, authors and supporters highlighted the cultural, historical, or public-safety significance of the measures. The chamber also concurred in Senate amendments on several bills, including AB 359 on the Political Reform Act, AB 594 on student health insurance protections, AB 1085 banning license plate obstruction devices and penalizing sellers, AB 1286 on public employment transparency, and AB 1505, the Agriculture Committee omnibus bill. AJR 14, urging federal attention to the impact of tariffs on California ports, passed 44-1 after debate over trade policy and port jobs. AJR 17, calling for modernization of immigration law and a pathway to lawful status for long-term undocumented residents, passed 47-7 after extensive debate focused on immigrant families, the economy, and federal enforcement actions. The Assembly also adopted the resolutions by voice vote where required and recorded the roll-call results for the joint resolutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• While under the influence of nitrous oxide, drivers are impaired and can get into traffic incidents that
• A second driver, allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, crashed into the stopped vehicles.
• A second driver, allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, crashed into the stopped vehicles,
• This bill would apply that to the private for-profit entities under contract to the federal government
• These types of facilities in the state boundaries of California are 100% under private contract by the

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety met on March 17, 2026, beginning without a quorum and hearing several bills and a resolution. SB 936 by Senator Blakespear would prohibit retail sale of nitrous oxide canisters larger than 8 grams while preserving legitimate medical, dental, culinary, and automotive uses. Supporters, including prosecutors, county officials, and local government groups, described rising misuse among youth, impaired driving crashes, deaths, and environmental waste from large flavored canisters. The ACLU opposed unless amended, arguing the bill was too broad and should use a regulatory approach rather than criminal penalties; the author said amendments were being considered to narrow the language. Committee members largely expressed support, though some raised concerns about wording and implementation. SB 941 by Senator Padilla would extend a prison commissary price cap framework to private for-profit immigration detention facilities under federal contract in California. Supporters said detainees and their families face extreme markups on basic necessities and that the bill would curb exploitation. There was broad support from immigrant justice, civil rights, and disability rights organizations, and no opposition testimony was presented. SCR 118 by Senator Gonzalez urged release of unclassified Jeffrey Epstein investigation files. Supporters framed it as a transparency and survivor-accountability measure, with testimony from CAST and a survivor statement. One committee member voiced concern about incomplete facts and the risk of political overreach, while others supported the resolution as part of broader anti-trafficking efforts. SB 1009 by Senator Becker would require clear and convincing evidence before detaining youth in juvenile proceedings and would emphasize less restrictive alternatives. The author and supporters argued that detention harms youth, increases recidivism, and is overused, citing a personal witness who described spending more than 200 days in juvenile detention before her case was resolved. Probation, district attorneys, and AFSCME raised concerns that the bill could limit judicial discretion, strain county resources, and create public safety risks or uneven implementation. Committee members were split, with some supporting the bill as a needed safeguard and others saying the system needs more resources before changing the standard. AB 46 by Assemblymember Nguyen would narrow mental health diversion by allowing judges to deny diversion when public safety is at risk. Supporters, including district attorneys and a crime victim’s family, said current law is too restrictive and has allowed dangerous offenders to reoffend; opponents, including public defenders and the ACLU, argued diversion is already limited and effective and that the bill would reduce access to treatment. Finally, SB 948 by Senator Aegian would require more comprehensive firearm safety training for firearm safety certificates and require new California residents to register firearms and obtain a certificate within 60 days. Supporters, including Brady and youth gun violence advocates, said the bill would close loopholes and improve safety; gun rights groups opposed, calling it an unconstitutional financial barrier and a burden on new residents.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are men and women of the judiciary who are ensuring that judgments are correct under the law.
• I've got the recording on a thumb drive.
• And they can go, the parties under the bill can go and get a copy.
• They would just be able to get the jump drive and download the audio file. Right.
• In addition to that, under the intergovernmental agreement, they're providing us quarters, the facility

Bills: HCR11 , HB153 , HB278 , HB424 , HB454 , HB455 , HB687 , HB816 , HB833 , HB942 , HB1053 , HB1097 , HB1147 , HB1148 , HB1190 , SB75 , SB85 , SB197 , SB200 , SB217

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: Camp Beauregard, Louisiana National Guard, Youth Challenge Program, military affairs, Pineville, National Guard training, emergency response, youth development, alternative education, high school equivalency, GED, at-risk youth, leadership training, job skills, citizenship, veterans, state military operations, mobilization, logistics staging area, public service

Summary: The committee first adopted a three-minute rule for the rest of the meeting by a 9-3 vote. It then took up SB 217, which would reorganize Orleans Parish courts by reducing judgeships in criminal, juvenile, traffic, and municipal courts and, through an adopted amendment, creating one civil district court with 13 judges and allowing hearing officers. Senator Morris argued the changes were based on caseload comparisons and population data; opponents from the Urban League and ACLU said the bill was driven by power rather than efficiency, relied on incomplete or inconsistent data, would strain the courts, and would reduce minority representation on the bench. The committee reported the bill favorably as amended by an 11-4 vote. The committee next considered SB 197, which would reduce the number of judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal by two. Senator Morris again cited filings and caseload comparisons, while opponents argued the bill ignored the intensity and complexity of appellate work, could increase backlog and costs, and would disproportionately affect Black women judges. The bill was reported favorably by an 11-4 vote. The committee also adopted HCR 11, expressing support for the Louisiana National Guard at Camp Beauregard and the Youth Challenge Program, and reported favorably SB 85, creating an insurance fund for retired St. Charles Parish sheriff’s employees. Several other measures were advanced with little or no opposition. HB 833 created the Sexual Assault Survivor Empowerment Task Force and was amended to add representatives from the coroners’ association, a survivor appointed by STAR, and a licensed clinical social worker; it was reported favorably. HB 816, with a technical correction, prohibited foreign adversaries from acquiring property near military installations and was reported favorably. HB 1053, dealing with definitions for dealers and retail dealers and allowing certain businesses to serve complimentary alcoholic beverages under agreed-upon floor amendments, was reported favorably. HB 153, as amended, removed the Office of Debt Recovery from the bill and limited it to prohibiting reporting certain criminal fines and fees to credit bureaus; it was reported favorably. SB 75, on cybersecurity reimbursement and baseline standards for local governments after cyber incidents, was reported favorably after testimony from GOSEP and others. SB 200, allowing expropriation of land near military bases owned by foreign adversaries when a court finds a threat to public health and safety, was also reported favorably after extensive testimony and discussion. Finally, HB 454, the Gracie Claire Rushing Act on chain of custody for human remains and internal organs, was converted into a substitute bill, adopted, and then introduced for further discussion, with the sponsor describing it as a transparency and accountability measure for grieving families.

Transcript Highlights:

• By contrast, East Baton Rouge had 2,269 children that were adjudicated or under the jurisdiction, and
• And I agreed to allow the amendment of the bill in the Senate to not affect CDC. ...of the bill in the
• Well, Senator, I don't mean to be rude, but let me reclaim my time because we are under the three-minute
• These are men and women of the judiciary who are ensuring that judgments are correct under the law.
• 22 in the Third, 21.2 in the Second, 23.3 in the Fifth, and 20.8 in the Fourth.

Bills: HCR11 , HB153 , HB278 , HB424 , HB454 , HB455 , HB687 , HB816 , HB833 , HB942 , HB1053 , HB1097 , HB1147 , HB1148 , HB1190 , SB75 , SB85 , SB197 , SB200 , SB217

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: Camp Beauregard, Louisiana National Guard, Youth Challenge Program, military affairs, Pineville, National Guard training, emergency response, youth development, alternative education, high school equivalency, GED, at-risk youth, leadership training, job skills, citizenship, veterans, state military operations, mobilization, logistics staging area, public service

Transcript Highlights:

• have been taken under the existing jurisdictional framework, consistent with the code of evidence and
• under the court's jurisdiction, but the bill does ask to increase the amount from $5,000 to $7,500.
• Small claims is under $5,000. ...the city court, right? Yes.
• Small claims is under $5,000. ...the city court, right? Yes.
• It allows him to select, but he has to do it under the agreement and approval of the agency head.

Bills: HR2 , HR37 , HR61 , HCR11 , HCR64 , HB89 , HB183 , HB341 , HB371 , HB451 , HB480 , HB520 , HB541 , HB579 , HB597 , HB816 , HB1004 , HB1064 , HB1165 , SB44

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: transparency, accountability, Justice Department, FBI, Jeffrey Epstein, victim protection, investigation, public trust, HR37, House Resolution 37, Honduras veterans, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, military medal, veteran recognition, Congress memorialization, U.S. veterans, foreign deployment, 1981 to 1992, military service awards, combat support

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 1165, which was converted into a substitute bill to reorganize the Avoyelles Parish court system by creating two city courts, one for Marksville and one for Bunkie, and expanding their jurisdiction parishwide, including small claims and certain misdemeanor, civil, and juvenile matters. The sponsor and supporting judges said the change would better use existing courts and improve access to justice, while the district attorney opposed it, arguing it would not help the criminal docket, could create staffing and constitutional issues, and needed more study. After questions about voting districts, appellate procedure, and minority vote dilution, the committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 1064 creating a domestic violence intervention court pilot program in the 19th Judicial District, with testimony from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the YWCA describing a specialty court model focused on accountability, victim services, and wraparound support. The bill was reported favorably. House Bill 341, clarifying law enforcement officer rights during administrative investigations, was amended to specify administrative matters and reported with amendments. House Concurrent Resolution 64, as amended, expanded a study of behavioral health courts to include additional parishes and a later reporting deadline, and was reported favorably. House Bill 579, the sexual assault survivor bill of rights, was amended to strengthen notice, confidentiality, and funding provisions and then reported favorably. Later, House Bill 1004, which would have raised the jurisdictional threshold for justice of the peace courts from $5,000 to $7,500, drew significant opposition from city court judges who warned of unintended consequences, including different evidentiary standards, possible attorney-representation issues for entities, and added burdens on district courts. Supporters framed it as an inflation adjustment and access-to-justice measure, but after debate the committee voted 5-11 to defer the bill. House Bill 183, limiting courthouse cell phone bans in fee-payment areas, was amended and then failed on a 7-7 tie with the chair voting no. The committee also reported favorably House Bill 451 on ATC hearing notices, House Bill 541 on micro distillers via substitute, Senate Bill 44 on tactical medical professionals’ firearms, House Resolution 37 honoring veterans who served in Honduras, and House Bill 89 requiring a district attorney office to pay certain retirees’ health premiums from its own funds. Several other bills were voluntarily deferred, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• The justice of the peace and The Justice of the Peace and Constable Courts in Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and
• Over the last month or so, I've spent time with the judges, the mayors, the police jury, and constituents
• the statement disturbs the decorum of the hearing.
• taken under the existing jurisdictional framework, consistent with the Code of Evidence and Code of Civil
• It allows him to select, but he has to do it under the agreement and approval of the agency head.

Bills: HR2 , HR37 , HR61 , HCR11 , HCR64 , HB89 , HB183 , HB341 , HB371 , HB451 , HB480 , HB520 , HB541 , HB579 , HB597 , HB816 , HB1004 , HB1064 , HB1165 , SB44

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: transparency, accountability, Justice Department, FBI, Jeffrey Epstein, victim protection, investigation, public trust, HR37, House Resolution 37, Honduras veterans, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, military medal, veteran recognition, Congress memorialization, U.S. veterans, foreign deployment, 1981 to 1992, military service awards, combat support

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair thanked him for coming in under two minutes.
• The penalties that the Attorney General can enforce under section are directed at the software, the app
• ><c> the</c> Under current law, there's the Under current law, there's the opportunity<01:22:48.920><
• So, under this bill, a survivor is granted the right to petition the court to terminate the abuser's
• inspector</c> under subdivision two, the inspector under subdivision two, the inspector general<02:08

Bills: SF1750 , HF2700 , HF1606 , HF3356 , HF3946 , HF3970 , HF3658 , HF3875 , HF2627 , SF856 , HF1268 , HF1338

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: common interest community, CIC, homeowners association, HOA, condominium, planned community, cooperative, unit owner, association board, declarant, declarant control, special declarant rights, assessment lien, foreclosure, late fees, fines, attorney fees, resale disclosure, annual report, maintenance plan

Transcript Highlights:

• the Ban Act that had passed with Senator Carroll's work last year, as well as working under the existing
• It treats every person under that designation identically, regardless of the risk level or the nature
• confident that this would be struck down under the VPA, not because it lacks the clause, which it does
• It's unconstitutional, and it would violate the First Amendment under the Establishment Clause.
• When this program rolled out under the first Trump administration, the recidivism rate for this population

Bills: SB1004 , SB1012 , SB1100 , SB1110 , SB1170 , SB1213 , SB1317 , SB1402 , SB1413 , SB1416 , SB1476 , SB1511 , SB1573 , SB1655 , SB1656 , SB1709 , SB1720 , SB1723 , SB1725 , SCR1040

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Transcript Highlights:

• 'youth' and before the word 'the' the words 'operated by' and inserting the words 'who are in' the custody
• The word 'detention' submitted by Senator Rader. Do we pass on the amendment? The second.
• The employee at the center at the facility has to be employed by the center by the facility.
• The ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Back on the bill as amended.
• The clerk will call the roll.

Bills: SB1328 , SB1380 , SB1436 , SB1558 , SB1572 , SB1651 , SB1805 , SB1831 , SB1836 , SB2014 , SB2023 , SB2044 , SB2179 , SB933

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: parents' rights, healthcare consent, minors, medical records, protection, legal guardianship, Medicaid, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, eligibility verification, death records, Death Master File, vital statistics, disenrollment, recoupment, improper payments, benefits integrity, public assistance, income verification, residency verification, incarceration status

Transcript Highlights:

• The employee at the center, at the facility, has to be employed by the center, by the facility.
• the Forensic Review Board’s standing and reassure the court that they had the matter under control.
• The clerk called the roll.
• The clerk will call the roll.
• The clerk will call the roll.

Bills: SB1328 , SB1380 , SB1436 , SB1558 , SB1572 , SB1651 , SB1805 , SB1831 , SB1836 , SB2014 , SB2023 , SB2044 , SB2179 , SB933

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: parents' rights, healthcare consent, minors, medical records, protection, legal guardianship, Medicaid, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, eligibility verification, death records, Death Master File, vital statistics, disenrollment, recoupment, improper payments, benefits integrity, public assistance, income verification, residency verification, incarceration status

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee met to consider a series of Senate bills, beginning with SB 2014, which would allow ivermectin to be sold over the counter with FDA approval. After questions about whether a prescription would still be required and how FDA guidance would affect the law, the bill passed 9-3. SB 1805, as amended, barred detention and youth facilities from using temporary agencies or contracting organizations for staffing; the author said the change was intended to address transparency and records issues in a related lawsuit. That bill passed 12-0. SB 2044, also amended, clarified chiropractic-related language regarding serum and multiple vitamins; members discussed whether the bill changed scope of practice, and it passed 10-2. The committee then approved SB 1836, which requires a board-approved mental health screener during routine annual primary care visits. The author said it was meant to normalize mental health screening and noted an updated fiscal impact estimate of $284,000 to $560,000; some members raised concerns about mandates and cost, but the bill passed 8-4. SB 1380 would require the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to verify Medicaid eligibility against death records and conduct monthly death-record checks for enrollees; after questions about current practice, costs, and recoupment from deceased enrollees, the author requested title be stricken, and the bill passed 10-2. SB 2179, dealing with not-guilty-by-reason-of-mental-illness cases, adds staff accompaniment for therapeutic visits, requires structured violence-risk assessments before discharge or conditional release, and adds drug screening when substance-use monitoring is ordered; Department of Mental Health staff testified about treatment planning and monitoring, and the bill passed 11-1. Later, the committee passed SB 1436, which requires families to be informed of their right to certification after fetal death or miscarriage, and SB 1558, which clarifies that older youth in OJA custody may be placed in Level E group homes. SB 933, the “Right to Try for Individualized Treatment Act,” passed 11-0 and would allow certain terminally ill patients to seek individualized investigational treatments after informed consent. SB 1651, an Oklahoma Medical Board cleanup bill covering several licensed professions, also passed 11-0. Finally, SB 1328 modernizes parental access to minor medical records with safeguards for abuse situations, and SB 1572 removes the DHS and OJA directors from the OCCY board; both passed 11-0. The committee adjourned after noting a possible interim meeting for a Tier 1 nomination.

Transcript Highlights:

• and purchase the medication. ...have the freedom to go into the store and purchase the medication, can
• family members of their clientele what their responsibilities and what their rights under the law are
• Rights under the law are for them to operate. Standard questions asked for passage.
• Well, under the, you know, in America, we consider businesses to be just as independent and be able to
• We could make a Section E, an F under Section 3, that however it needs to be worded, that the point of

Bills: HB4336 , HB1818 , HB3194 , HB3538 , HB3682 , HB3762 , HB3793 , HB3930 , HB3931 , HB3934 , HB4124 , HB4200 , HB4410 , HB4457 , HB4473 , HB3884 , HB1912

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: interventional pain management, pain management clinic, chronic pain, acute pain, spinal injections, epidural steroid injection, peripheral nerve block, nerve ablation, spinal cord stimulator, intrathecal infusion pump, endoscopic diskectomy, fluoroscopy, physician supervision, allopathic physician, osteopathic physician, CRNA, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse anesthetist, freestanding pain management facility, medical licensure

Transcript Highlights:

• People that are medically licensed there stay in their lane, and so they are still under the authority
• But 3762 basically defines the word serum under the... 3762 basically defines the word serum under the
• Arkansas and Oklahoma have been the tip of the spear in the war against what the PBMs stand for.
• That's the sad reality of the situation.
• Close the queue, declare the vote.

Bills: HB4336 , HB1818 , HB3194 , HB3538 , HB3682 , HB3762 , HB3793 , HB3930 , HB3931 , HB3934 , HB4124 , HB4200 , HB4410 , HB4457 , HB4473 , HB3884 , HB1912

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: interventional pain management, pain management clinic, chronic pain, acute pain, spinal injections, epidural steroid injection, peripheral nerve block, nerve ablation, spinal cord stimulator, intrathecal infusion pump, endoscopic diskectomy, fluoroscopy, physician supervision, allopathic physician, osteopathic physician, CRNA, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse anesthetist, freestanding pain management facility, medical licensure

Transcript Highlights:

• Ask the questions that you need to ask. Can we get the door in the back, please?
• So, case in point, on the Via nursing home, if they go under, there's not, they're not going to be in
• And also, since in the fiscal summary, the question is, are the in the statements made there, despite
• The reason why I struck the title is we need to know the number.
• One of my concerns is the pay for success fund and moving that under Department of Corrections.

Bills: SB134 , SB1356 , SB1407 , SB1611 , SB1639 , SB169 , SB1722 , SB182 , SB1870 , SB2039 , SB432 , SB609 , SB715 , SB716

Committee: Senate Retirement and Government Resources

Keywords: retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, state government, OMES, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Rehabilitation Services, civil service, human capital management, state employee disputes, whistleblower, veterans employment, veterans placement, fleet management, state fleet, motor vehicles

Transcript Highlights:

• So case in point on the Vici nursing home, if they go under, they're not going to be in the system anyway
• question is, or the statement is made... ...the fiscal summary, the question is, or the statement is
• One of my concerns is the Pay for Success Fund and moving that under the Department of Corrections.
• to the, to Each of these, though, does have an influence that they have to report back, I believe, to
• the pro tem and the Speaker of the House.

Bills: SB134 , SB1356 , SB1407 , SB1611 , SB1639 , SB169 , SB1722 , SB182 , SB1870 , SB2039 , SB432 , SB609 , SB715 , SB716

Committee: Senate Retirement and Government Resources

Keywords: retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, state government, OMES, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Rehabilitation Services, civil service, human capital management, state employee disputes, whistleblower, veterans employment, veterans placement, fleet management, state fleet, motor vehicles

Summary: The Senate Committee on Retirement and Government Resources considered a series of retirement, pension, and state employee bills. Senate Bill 1870 would let small municipalities in OPERS with populations of 2,000 or less opt out for new employees; members questioned the fiscal impact and the bill passed 8-0 after the chair struck the title to get a clearer actuarial analysis. Senate Bill 1722 passed 9-0 and would require OMES construction contract fees to be based only on construction costs, not interior design and furnishings, with members discussing how to define those terms and whether historical or specialized projects could still be accommodated. Senate Bill 1639 passed 9-0 after an amendment removed provisions affecting the Indian Education Act commission, leaving a bill to repeal several dormant boards and commissions. The committee also passed Senate Bills 715 and 716, which would increase municipal contributions to firefighter and police pensions, respectively; members raised concerns about city budgets, and the sponsor said he was open to phasing in the increases. Senate Bill 182 passed 5-2 to add certain DHS Inspector General officers and OJA residential care specialists to hazardous duty retirement, and Senate Bill 609 passed 7-0 to allow police recruits to buy up to five years of prior out-of-state service credit as a recruitment tool. The committee then passed Senate Bill 169 5-2 to increase state employee longevity pay by 50%, with supporters citing high turnover and opponents warning about budget pressure and the need for broader raises. Senate Bill 134 passed 7-0 to shorten the waiting period for county employees to return to work from one year to six months. Senate Bill 432 passed 6-0 to raise volunteer firefighter pension benefits, and because it was double-assigned it would next go to Appropriations. Senate Bill 1407 passed 7-0 after an amendment requiring OMES to provide the Commission on the Status of Women an itemized accounting of funds; the bill generally clarifies staffing and financial reporting authority for the commission. Finally, Senate Bill 2039 passed 8-0 after an amendment narrowing the bill to military personnel who are also teachers and defining salary for buyback purposes; the sponsor said the measure would help service members return to teaching and buy back up to five years of credit. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1356 7-0, a broader OMES cleanup bill moving certain functions elsewhere, though members flagged concerns about relocating the state use program and the pay-for-success fund and suggested further study on those sections.

Transcript Highlights:

• Particularly, a flood notification is provided to a renter or a homeowner currently under the current
• He's received under this bill is sufficient. So, Senate Bill 2 is the same as House Bill 2, right?
• Who makes the determination of that window? Under this bill, it would be TDEM and DPS.
• The second item is fifty million dollars to provide grants to counties that are under the disaster declaration
• This motion pulls under Article Two of the bill. I move adoption. Mr. Darby sends up an amendment.

Bills: HB1 , HB 2 , HB 3 , HB 5 , HB20 , HB 22 , HB 1 , HB 2 , HB 3 , HB 5 , HB 20 , HB 22

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• Under emergency use authorization, the only thing required for it to be safe and effective, if it's the
• Under emergency use authorization, the only thing required for it to be safe and effective, if it's the
• given the illusion that it was under a drug.
• terminated, ensuring children are protected under the law.
• The Family Code has 22 unique grounds under which the state may terminate parental rights involuntarily

Bills: HB18 , HB37 , HB 116 , HB388 , HB879 , HB913 , HB 1151 , HB2216 , HB2358 , HB2809 , SB577 , SB1590 , SB1782 , SB1887 , SB2744

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The committee first reopened testimony on House Bill 2216, which would strengthen child welfare requirements by expanding “active efforts” to help families avoid removal and support reunification, while also raising standards related to removals and terminations. Supporters from child welfare and family defense groups said the bill would better protect families and align Texas more closely with ICWA-style principles, but several warned it would require significant new funding, staffing, and community services such as mental health care, housing, child care, and substance use treatment. The committee then left HB 2216 pending. The committee next heard Senate Bill 1782, aimed at boarding and group homes. Senator Miles said the bill closes enforcement gaps left by prior law by requiring retention of background-check records and creating misdemeanor penalties for failing to conduct or keep them, or for knowingly hiring people with serious convictions. Harris County sheriff’s investigators testified in support, describing illegal boarding homes, operators who evade permits and background checks, and exploitation of vulnerable residents; the bill was left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 481 on emergency preparedness for nursing facilities and assisted living facilities, adopted a new committee substitute that softened some requirements and removed the fiscal note, and left the bill pending. The committee then heard House Bill 388, which would require the Texas Department of Insurance to create a single standardized coordination-of-benefits form for dual health plans to reduce errors and surprise bills; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1590 would move paternity registry searches for adoptions to an electronic process with a 10-day target, and House Bill 2809 would track child suicide attempts in managing conservatorship and require related reporting and parental notice; both were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1887, which would prohibit administering mRNA-containing products for immunization for 10 years, with exceptions for cancer and genetic disorders. Supporters argued the bill was needed for safety, informed consent, and medical freedom, while opponents from the medical, research, and public health communities said mRNA vaccines are well-studied, save lives, and that the bill would harm access, research, and Texas’s biotech economy. The bill remained under discussion as testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently there are two new state hospitals under construction: the Panhandle State Hospital and the
• under the hood.
• Under the bill's provisions, DFPS would be required to work with the child and the child's legal representative
• the child under current law today.
• We would drive them to the interview. We would pay the rent and security deposit.

Bills: HB18 , HB37 , HB 116 , HB388 , HB879 , HB913 , HB 1151 , HB2216 , HB2358 , HB2809 , SB577 , SB1590 , SB1782 , SB1887 , SB2744

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Prior to the testimony today, I was under the impression that the only ibogaine we had was plant-based
• And then in 2022, I totaled my first vehicle under the influence of fentanyl.
• Three months later, I totaled my second vehicle under the influence, and that was just Oxycontin.
• My father died when I was 12 in a motorcycle accident while under the influence.
• I mean, he'd just had a few beers, but still, he was under the influence.

Bills: HB 44 , HB 2200 , HB 1612 , HB 2747 , HB 2038 , HB 3717 , HB 1431 , HB 3800 , HB 3801 , HB 3560 , HB 3246

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: HB 44, Life of the Mother Act, abortion exceptions, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, fetal survival, Texas abortion law, abortion ban, physician liability, health care provider, disciplinary action, aiding and abetting, emergency abortion, obstetric care

Summary: The meeting of the public health committee focused on the pressing issue of opioid addiction in Texas, with a particular emphasis on House Bill 3717. Chairman Harris detailed the bill's intent to fund a grant program for Ibogaine clinical trials, framing it as a critical response to the ongoing opioid crisis. He shared poignant testimonies highlighting the struggles of families and veterans battling addiction and mental health issues. The conversation underscored the necessity of innovative treatments, like Ibogaine, which showed promising results in studies for reducing symptoms of withdrawal and PTSD.

Transcript Highlights:

• The different drive are moving, I'm a physicist by trade, the different driving environments that are
• The driving that they get in the six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction builds our students to learn
• They'll sit in the back seat. They'll sit in the front seat driving.
• child driving the car.
• who passed the driving test.

Committee: House Transportation and Defense

Keywords: 989, all