Transcript Highlights:

• enhances essential public programs, and... ...enhances essential public programs, and invests in long-term
• Altogether, these investments improve the long-term resilience and self-reliance of the state.
• and $22 million to acquire enhanced agricultural lands, strengthening local food production and long-term
• When we had an opportunity to sit at length to talk about everything that this budget is going to achieve
• permit runs out, provided that the applicant engages with the state to develop and implement a long-term

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• NEEDS AND PROVIDES THE DEPARTMENT ADDITIONAL PREDICTABILITY TO MEET LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS AND IN TERMS
• IT INCLUDES PROVISIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENT THAT MUST IN TERMS OF REGARDING EMERGENCY USED STAGING OF
• PROVIDES PREDICTABILITY AGAIN WORKING WITH OUR WILDFLOWERS FOLKS AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE LENGTH
• IN TERMS OF RESTRICTIONS THAT WILL BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION.
• SO AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS LONG-TERM AND THINKING ABOUT GIVING SOMEBODY SUPPORT FOR A YEAR THAT

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1261 is GBRA debt terms.
• hearings, urging the state to prioritize early identification and targeted support to prevent long-term
• to allow local districts to choose from multiple high-quality options at no cost and require full-term
• First, it requires TDCJ to develop a comprehensive 10-year long-term facilities and staffing plan to
• Lastly, this bill addresses the prior term doctrine, also commonly known as the forgiveness doctrine,

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Pastor Jim Harris of Tilden Baptist Church, followed by remarks from Senator Zaffirini recognizing his service and retirement as an agricultural teacher. The chamber also received a message from the governor on appointments to the Coastal Water Authority Board of Directors. Senators then adopted SR 434 honoring Goodwill Industries of San Antonio’s 80th anniversary, with Senators Gutierrez, Menendez, and Zaffirini praising its workforce training and second-chance employment mission; SR 435 recognizing Dr. Christine Ramos Camacho as Doctor of the Day; and a group of additional resolutions adopted by voice vote. Senator Zaffirini also introduced the McMullen County Day delegation, and Senator Gutierrez introduced the Doctor of the Day. The Senate then took up and passed several bills. SB 1951 addressed penalties for late property rendition filings and removed a financial incentive for appraisal districts; SB 1261 related to financing water supply projects in the state water plan; SB 1620 created a Texas Forensic Analyst Apprenticeship Pilot Program; SB 530 updated higher-education accreditation rules; SB 2183 standardized fireworks sales periods statewide; SB 2368 strengthened the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act and added foreign-affiliation safeguards for electricity market participants; SB 1398 limited children without placement (CWOP) practices and added community-based care transparency; and SB 1960 established digital replication rights for voice and visual likenesses. Each of these bills advanced through suspension of the regular order, passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage, with recorded votes generally showing strong support and some opposition on a few measures. The chamber also debated SB 825, which would require an annual study of the economic, environmental, and financial impacts of illegal immigration. Senators Middleton, Hinojosa, Gutierrez, and Eckhardt debated whether the study should include positive as well as negative impacts; an amendment to require that broader analysis failed, and the bill was left pending after passage to engrossment. Other measures passed included SB 2010, prohibiting political subdivisions from operating guaranteed income programs; SB 546, requiring reporting and continued implementation of school bus seat belts; SB 586, establishing the Historical Texas Cemetery designation program; SB 1150, requiring inactive oil and gas wells to be plugged or returned to production under a compliance plan; SB 1184, lowering the minimum age of wine eligible for sale by wine collection sellers; SB 2185, clarifying bilingual education allotment funding; SB 1923, making child support follow the child in certain temporary placements; SB 2252, expanding early literacy and numeracy supports and screening tools; SB 1870, barring local decriminalization of drugs; and SB 2405, the major TDCJ sunset bill, which included facility planning, parole and rehabilitation reforms, and an amendment protecting parole board discretion. Most of these bills were adopted after floor amendments and passed with recorded votes, often along party-line or near-party-line divisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes I speak at length up here.
• , and you're a part of the Senate family, and though you leave here tonight and at the end of your term
• And at the end of my first term, back in 2016, when I finished that, I looked around and there were 18

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm personally, I've never shied away from failure is really a relative term.
• <00:38:22.400> really<00:38:22.640> a<00:38:22.680> relative<00:38:23.160> term
• um failure is really a relative term. um failure is really a relative term.
• of its structure, in terms of all the reasons that I cited.
• <01:25:03.360> about<01:25:03.720> the uh come to terms about the uh come to terms

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that I think is actually legitimately raised: was the way in which the R&D credit is understood in terms
• I'm just observing the point that Representative Gomez made yesterday about the length of time in the
• <00:13:41.040> of<00:13:41.279> time about the length of time about the length of time
• Not in terms of a sitcom, but in terms of Minnesota agriculture and in terms of the reality of Minnesota
• Not in terms of a sitcom, but in terms of Minnesota agriculture and in terms of the reality of Minnesota

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a program that I heard about in my first term in the House, which was 2005, and then I didn't
• This is a program that I heard about in my first term in the House, which was 2005, and then I didn't
• This is a program that I heard about in my first term in the House, which was 2005, and then I didn't
• So, just a couple of questions in terms of the municipal pool here and in terms of, you know, making
• The average length of time in this program is nine months, so it’s not a destination.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:12.799> and written, we had um talked at length and written, we had um talked at length
• There's a length about this proposal.
• wanted to do away with short-term wanted to do away with short-term rentals. rentals. rentals.
• the town who were doing short-term the town who were doing short-term rentals.<01:12:03.840>
• <01:17:04.159> of set to go up 26% this year in terms of set to go up 26% this year in terms

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of the tests, in terms of the studies, in terms of all that stuff, I am concerned that, you
• In terms of future reference, I did number your pages.
• I believe I am emeritus now, because I have term limited, or I will be soon.
• We talked through the specifics as far as terms and conditions.
• That's what I'm talking about in terms of a policy in place, and it doesn't sound like it.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, and it, yes I would say accrual is damages perceived damages over any length of time that a government
• Sorry, I took longer to explain than the length of the bill.

Bills: SB1638, SB504, SB2072, SB1283, SB1216, SB1655, SB2011, SB1643, SB1446, SB1256, SB1258, SB1441, SB1224, SB1448, SB1496, SB1597, SB1621, SB1827, SB2066, SB2104

Keywords: Governmental Tort Claims Act, liability limits, claims, medical negligence, tort reform, state liability, public health, claims adjustment, compensation limits, fraudulent conveyance, property rights, title theft, real estate law, law enforcement, probate procedure, agent residency, legal process, statutory language, gender neutral, SB 1216

Transcript Highlights:

• They've been wonderful to work with in terms of trying to work this out.
• California can be globally relevant in terms of hydrogen production.
• The terms are attached to the system, not to the individual who installed it.
• These terms were debated thoroughly and adjudicated by three CPUC judges over 10 years.
• In terms of, so this is an extension, but in terms of increases that would be allowed... no?

Summary: The committee heard several energy and utilities bills, with testimony largely focused on wildfire mitigation, affordability, clean energy planning, and utility accountability. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that use forest biomass waste from wildfire mitigation and forest restoration; supporters said it would reduce open burning and emissions while providing reliable renewable power, and the bill later passed 13-0. AB 39, by Assembly Member Zbur, would require larger cities and counties to adopt electrification planning strategies for transportation and buildings; it drew broad support from clean energy, labor, environmental, and local government advocates and passed 9-0. AB 1167, by Assembly Member Berman, would restrict investor-owned utilities from charging ratepayers for lobbying, promotional advertising, and similar shareholder-benefit expenses; supporters framed it as an affordability and transparency measure, while utilities argued the bill was overly broad and already covered by existing rules. It passed 7-0, with some members not voting and the roll left open. The committee also considered AB 1417 on offshore wind community funding transparency, which was amended to remove new fees and instead require reporting on developer support for local and tribal community capacity-building; opposition was withdrawn and the bill passed 9-0. AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, would require water districts in high fire-risk areas of Ventura County to have backup power, full tanks during red flag warnings, and hardened facilities; water agencies opposed unless amended due to cost and liability concerns, but the bill passed 10-0. The consent calendar, including multiple additional measures, was approved 11-0. Other bills drew more divided testimony. AB 745 would allow securitization to finance utility undergrounding and prohibit a return on equity for undergrounding projects; supporters said it would lower ratepayer costs, while utilities warned it would effectively discourage undergrounding and could raise other rates. The bill passed 7-4 and was left on call. AB 1423 would apply reliability standards to publicly funded EV chargers installed before 2024; supporters said taxpayers should get functioning chargers, while charging-network representatives objected to retroactive requirements and possible conflicts with existing agreements. It passed 13-0. AB 388 would create a narrow exception to utility regulation to facilitate green hydrogen projects using private power lines; supporters said it would unlock low-cost renewable hydrogen and jobs, while utilities raised concerns about customer protections and grid planning. It passed 12-0. The committee also began hearing AB 825, which the author said would address the high cost of financing major transmission and generation buildout, but the transcript cuts off before the full presentation and action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, it's, uh, my father had a term for that, but I won't use it.
• In fact, Madam President, we would say in terms of getting it right.
• I apologize, Senator, after looking further, it's less than 18 inches in length in terms of the barrel
• So this is a long-term... ...and long-term bans on animal ownership.
• I spoke, you know, at length about that last year.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the law doesn't allow you a long-term the law doesn't allow you a long-term position. position.
• We want into a long-term care facility.
• <00:36:38.000> of the greatest because of their length of the greatest because of their length
• looking at long-term options. looking at long-term options.
• <02:33:36.800> value as far as looking at the long-term value as far as looking at the long-term

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Department of Health presented its supplemental budget requests and described several sources of uncertainty affecting federal funding, including policy changes, shutdown-related disruptions, and shifting appropriations proposals in Congress. Officials said some federal grants had been terminated and then restored, but the department still faces added administrative burden to access funds. They also said trust in public health institutions has declined, and outlined efforts to respond through community engagement, website cleanup, social media, and transparency dashboards. The department highlighted staffing and operations issues, noting a 29.7% vacancy rate and the success of its hiring pilot under Act 291, which has hired 38 candidates with an average 95-day hiring timeline. On the budget side, officials said the supplemental request includes increases in general, special, and revolving funds, and they walked through the first major general fund item for emergency medical services. After discussion, they said the EMS request was reduced from $8 million to $4.5 million to cover collective bargaining increases and keep contracts whole through August 2027. Behavioral health items included the payment crisis center in Ewa, which has connected more than 2,000 people to services, though roughly one-third remain unconnected or return frequently. Members questioned the quality of follow-up data and whether the program is reducing repeat use. The department also discussed state hospital decompression efforts, including use of the behavioral health crisis center, transfers to community hospitals, neighbor-island placements, and direct discharge to long-term care facilities; officials said the hospital is licensed for 292 beds and has seen census pressures rise again. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on Kalaupapa/Kalawao jurisdiction and preservation after patient care ends. Members pressed the department on the lack of a clear statewide plan, the roles of DOH, DNR, and DHHL, and what happens to land, buildings, and the cemetery after the last patient leaves. DOH said the current law is unclear on an end date, that the proposed bill would change the law, and that the landowners’ agreements with the National Park Service and each other will shape the transition. Officials said they would provide more information at a later hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the intent here is again the short-term allegation or the short-term protection order that ends
• I think the intent here is again the short-term allegation or the short-term protection order that ends
• I think the intent here is again the short-term allegation or the short-term protection order that ends
• terms of mutual respect and dignity. terms of mutual respect and dignity.
• So when it comes to from last term.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not sure what the status is in terms of how the chat is set up. Patrick, Ms.
• Out of Susan, in terms of how the chat is set up. Patrick, Ms.
• So there's a lot of flexibility built into this in terms of a lot of opportunity for the contractor to
• In terms of retirements and the changing workforce, I mean, that's a challenge for us as owners, you
• And when somebody changes along the way on a long-term contract like this, which they do, we require

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have serious concerns also about what I learned in terms of him trying to monetize the usage of his
• Let's let him complete his term. Let's see what his full body of work is.
• Secondly, he has continuously during his time, his first term and his second term, this current term,
• So there is precedent for waiting until after the president serves his term and completes office.
• It replaces the outdated term "child pornography" with the accurate term "child sexual abuse material

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Joseph Di Alessandro, the Pledge of Allegiance, and announcements confirming a quorum. Members also adopted the special order report and recognized several guests in the gallery, including former Speaker Dan Webster and law enforcement and civic visitors. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar of bills, mostly on third reading, with several measures passing unanimously or by wide margins. Among the bills considered were measures on civil procedure and estates, including C.S. HB 1407 on commencement of civil actions, HB 895 on trustee settlement and discharge, C.S. HB 1337 on estates, HB 131 on curators of estates, and C.S. HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over military installations. The House also passed C.S. HB 441 on conservation lands, which would lengthen notice and increase transparency for land swaps involving conservation property, and C.S. CS HB 919 on commercial service airports, which created a statutory definition for major airports and preempted local naming authority for several airports. HB 919 drew extensive debate over the proposed naming of Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald J. Trump, with amendments to delay or alter the naming failing before the bill passed. Other bills approved included HB 409 requiring K-12 schools to observe Veterans Day, CS HB 461 allowing certain students to volunteer at polling places for community service hours, CS HB 1115 creating grants for genetic counseling education, HB 569 revising forensic client services, CS HB 505 regulating virtual currency kiosks to address fraud, and HB 271 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers. The House also passed HB 191 on re-employment assistance eligibility verification after extended questioning about its effects on benefits, appeals, and suitable work standards. One bill, CS HB 243 on electric bicycles, was temporarily postponed, and CS HB 1073 on school districts was also postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to go back to just restating the concern that we discussed at length six months ago: that the
• Uh, sorry, is your question around the contract term and start date?

Summary: The committee reviewed three DHS out-of-state service contracts: a $690,000-plus sole-source contract for DCFS with Evident Change for maintenance and operation of the Child Welfare Structured Decision-Making practice hub; a $1.2 million sole-source contract for County Operations with Sifter Solutions to support a SNAP waiver compliance solution; and a $156,000 contract for Developmental Disabilities with Samaritan Integrative Services for psychiatric services at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. The chair and staff explained the contracts and noted that the Evident Change and Sifter contracts were sole-source due to the proprietary nature of the systems or services involved. Most of the discussion focused on the Evident Change contract. Members questioned DCFS about long-term dependence on the vendor, the lack of a competitive bid, the absence of a clear off-ramp, and whether the state was paying more overall as the work was split into multiple contracts. DCFS said the contract before the committee was only for maintenance and operations of a web-based platform used daily for safety assessments and case planning, while a separate Evident Change contract covers case reviews, CQI work, and data management. The vendor said it was continuing to reduce its role and had begun off-ramp discussions, but members remained concerned that the state was too reliant on the vendor. Staff said the contract had to be approved by May 31 or the system could be turned off. The committee also discussed the Sifter Solutions contract, which supports Arkansas’s SNAP waiver pilot by providing a dynamic list of excluded products and a consumer app that scans barcodes and provides nutrition information. DHS said the waiver is intended to improve the nutritional value of SNAP benefits, that the contract is funded with remaining federal SNAP Nutrition Education dollars that would otherwise be returned, and that the University of Pennsylvania will conduct the evaluation at no cost. Members asked about the benefit to Arkansas, whether the app would include nutrition and budgeting information, and whether the state would own the application or need future renewals. DHS said the two-year term was intentionally aligned with the waiver period and that future procurement options could change. After discussion, the committee noted the items as reviewed and adjourned without objections or votes recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, that is up to those lengths of time.
• I think you have the record a little bit mistaken in terms of there certainly was not an agreement; one

Transcript Highlights:

• But I do agree, you know, as you put buckets ahead of it, it changes, but I wouldn't use the term robbing
• I guess I'm supportive that we limited the length of this, and I think we can take another look here

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met and first took up Senate Bill 2093, described as providing a small amount of income tax relief for widowed law enforcement peace officers. The committee briefly discussed the limited scope of the relief, then recommended a due pass by roll call vote, with all members present voting yes. Representative Hagert was assigned to carry the bill to the floor. The committee then spent most of its time on Senate Bill 2023, which concerned the Prairie Dog/energy impact grant funding formula and support for debt incurred by oil-impacted cities. Members debated whether the bill unfairly shifted money from the remaining 1% pool that also serves non-oil-producing cities and counties. Supporters argued that Williston, Dickinson, and Minot took on substantial debt to accommodate Bakken growth and that the state has already benefited from that development; opponents said the formula has been repeatedly eroded and that the bill would further disadvantage other political subdivisions. An amendment was offered to narrow the bill’s duration from six bienniums to two, increase the grant amount to $25 million per year, correct distribution percentages, and require reporting to legislative management. A legislative staffer explained the added guardrails: the money could only be used for debt incurred within a specified date range and only for debt service, not new projects or operations. The amendment passed on a roll call vote, and the committee then recommended the amended bill due pass and re-refer to Appropriations by a 7-6 vote, with one member absent. Representative Steiner was designated to carry the bill. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the funding and the length of time we thought it would take to, to stand this up.
• encourage you all to work with us and let us know what y'all actually need, need like in the immediate term