Transcript Highlights:

• is it that children are afraid to go to school and have to participate in drills and have to give samples
• of their DNA in case they're shot?
• is it that children are afraid to go to school and have to participate in drills and have to give samples
• of their DNA in case they're shot?

Keywords: HB 312 continued 00:00 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 25:16 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 27:27 Recess for ConC and Rules Meeting 28:33 ConC/Rules Report 33:45 Adjournment 35:21, 958, all

Summary: The House took up House Bill 312, which would expand concealed carry rights to 18- to 20-year-olds. Debate focused heavily on gun violence, public safety, constitutional rights, and whether the bill would make schools, parks, and other public places less safe. Opponents argued that young people are not ready for the responsibility, cited recent shootings and gun deaths in their districts, and said families had not asked for this bill. Supporters said 18- to 20-year-olds already may possess firearms, that concealed carry is safer than open carry for law-abiding adults, and that the bill includes training and background-check provisions. Several members also discussed differences between rural and urban gun culture and whether crime trends were related to constitutional carry laws. During floor discussion, members exchanged questions about crime rates since constitutional carry was enacted, with a sponsor responding that crime had decreased in the Commonwealth. Other members raised concerns about suicide, mental health, and the impact on students and women, while supporters emphasized self-defense and constitutional rights. After debate, the House voted on HB 312 and passed it 73-17. The bill was then clinched. After HB 312, the House handled routine business. Members moved House Resolutions 30, 33, and 7 from committee to the floor, and several committee schedule announcements were made, including possible changes due to weather. The Committee on Committees reported referrals for a number of bills to standing committees, and the Rules Committee posted House Bills 134 and 306 for the regular orders on Monday, January 26, 2026. The House then adjourned until 4:00 p.m. Monday, January 26, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so, real quick, just in a nutshell, today we do water sampling around the state.
• They may have their own people taking samples.
• Some municipalities have their own labs where they analyze those samples, while others send them off
• It took about 12,000 samples nationally, 12,000 systems nationally, and then in one system here in Texas
• One of our projects involves studying bat guano to determine bat species and their diet using DNA analysis

Bills: SB1169, SB1285, SB1583, SB1611, SB1898, SB1976, SB2160, SB2161, SB2658, SB2661, SB2662, SB2692, SB1055, SB1359, SB2660

Keywords: water service, sewer service, public utility, joint operation, infrastructure, municipality, compliance, SB 1285, bats, bat protection, wildlife protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Parks and Wildlife Code Section 63.101, hunting bats, bat possession, bat sales, bat trade, pest control, licensed pest control professional, animal control officer

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm head of the subsurface section and manager of the Wilson-Layered Core Sample Library in Grand Forks
• I would say, you know, in the history of Continental, we've shown that we do have an exploration DNA,
• Why these individuals, and why the culture and maybe the DNA of North Dakota that has got that work ethic

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met to consider Senate Bill 2397 and a proposed amendment creating a development incentive well program for North Dakota oil and gas production. Representative Dockter explained the amendment as a way to encourage exploratory and innovative drilling in light of the state’s financial outlook and the growing share of stripper wells. Department of Mineral Resources Director Nathan Anderson and DMR geologist Timothy Nashim presented background on the Bakken and Three Forks formations, with Nashim describing research showing that Middle Three Forks second-bench development can add reserves in some areas but not others, and that roughly 600 additional wells in the strongest area could yield about 250 million barrels of oil. Continental Resources representatives William Houser and John Argo supported the amendment. They said the bill would give a temporary oil extraction tax exemption for certified development incentive wells, limited to 36 months or 300,000 barrels, and would also update tax treatment for gas used in enhanced oil recovery and on-site electric generation. They argued the measure would encourage new technology and testing in existing spacing units, complementing House Bill 1483, which they said focused on geographic expansion into non-Bakken and non-Three Forks areas. Argo said Continental still invests heavily in North Dakota but is shifting rigs elsewhere because of economics, and he urged incentives to spur exploration and preserve the basin’s long-term future. North Dakota Petroleum Council executive director Ron Ness also supported the concept, calling it a targeted, low-risk way to encourage innovation and future barrels. Committee members asked about royalty treatment, the difference from House Bill 1483, pressure maintenance, and how the program would be administered. DMR said the amendment should clarify that the operator bears the burden of proving a well qualifies and that only one incentive well per stratigraphic interval should be certified. No vote was taken; the committee paused to work on revised language and indicated the bill would likely need further adjustment, possibly in conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• DNA evidence must be collected quickly or else it erodes.
• Additionally, these surveys are generally done to a sample. It's not every student in the state.
• Additionally, these surveys are generally done to a sample. It's not every student in the state.
• We're talking about making health care decisions, access and review of medical records, DNA storage,

Summary: The committee on Pre-K through 12 Education took up SB 1288, a parental rights bill by Sen. Grall, which would expand the Parents Bill of Rights to require written parental consent for minors’ medical care and prescriptions, give parents access to medical records, require parental review/consent for surveys and questionnaires, and restrict use of biofeedback devices without parental permission. The sponsor said the bill is intended to restore parents’ role in major medical decisions and to address concerns about schools or providers collecting sensitive information from children without parents’ knowledge. She said she was open to clarifying language, especially around exceptions and definitions, but maintained that parents should generally be the decision-makers. Committee members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would affect minors who are abused, homeless, estranged from parents, or otherwise without a safe guardian, as well as access to STI treatment, mental health care, contraception, and care after sexual assault. The sponsor repeatedly said children in unsafe situations should come into the child welfare or law enforcement system and that she was open to changes for truly unsafe or unavailable parents, but she rejected the idea that the bill was merely about notification rather than consent. She also defended the survey provisions as a way to stop routine questioning of children about suicide and other sensitive topics without parental awareness, and said the biofeedback language was aimed at school settings where data about children’s anxiety or stress is allegedly being shared with classmates. Public testimony was heavily divided, with many speakers opposing the bill and describing personal experiences with abuse, rape, mental health crises, lack of supportive parents, and the need for confidential access to birth control, STI testing, and counseling. Opponents argued the bill would delay care, endanger vulnerable minors, and reduce access to medically necessary services and surveys that can identify risk. Supporters said the bill would restore parental authority, improve transparency, and protect children from inappropriate surveys and biometric monitoring. During debate, Sen. Berman and Sen. Davis opposed the bill, saying it conflicts with existing law and could harm vulnerable youth, while Sen. Yarborough supported it, arguing that not all parents are bad actors and that the state should not treat all families as if they were. The transcript ends with debate underway and no final vote or action recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what sampling of, of persons, how many people did they sample to get, you know what, I can, I can
• find that out for you and I can get that to your office and where did they sample them from?
• I'm sorry, and who did they sample? OK, who, who were they surveying and how many?
• And I'm going to have to pronounce this slowly deoxyribonucleic acid, also known as DNA.
• From the moment of fertilization, every child is a unique human being with their own DNA characteristics

Bills: HB7, SB 8

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• TFA, which is linked to reproductive harm, has been detected in nearly all water and human serum samples
• They cannot do that broadly because of the extreme expense of testing for TFA in water samples.
• Okay, it's a whole other way of doing things that is about $600 per sample.
• It's a whole other way of doing things that is about $600 per sample, and that's an average.
• It's a whole other way of doing things that is about $600 per sample, and that's an average.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill follows up on a previous law that required the state to perform DNA testing on biological evidence
• Enable cost savings and increase turnaround time for case samples.
• specially trained officers to inspect cargo tanks suspected of transporting stolen petroleum and collect samples
• And I have a sample if anyone's interested; I have demonstrative evidence.

Bills: SB552, SB1099, SB1124, SB1208, SB1372, SB1506, SB1667, SB1804, SB1806, SB1870, SB1936, SB1937, SB2180, SB2405, SB2569, SB2570, SB1646

Keywords: community supervision, criminal justice, illegal alien, deferred adjudication, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, SB 1099, undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, immigration status, felony sentencing enhancement, criminal penalty increase, Texas Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, affirmative finding, judgment finding, deportation, public safety, immigration enforcement, sentencing reform, felony offense

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's predicated very deep in our DNA about that. You see it in everything we do.
• So it's predicated very deep in our DNA about that. You see it in everything we do.
• I believe a sampling of them is out in the hall.
• create liposomes that essentially behave as a vehicle that transports a drug that would destroy the DNA

Summary: The committee met at NDSU and approved the April 9 minutes. The main purpose of the meeting was an informational presentation from NDSU President David Stewart and university leaders on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research, commercialization, and use of New Horizons funding. Stewart emphasized a “One NDSU” approach, thanked legislators for past support, and said the university will focus on recruitment and retention, a new strategic plan, and growing research and tech transfer while serving North Dakota’s workforce needs. University leaders said NDSU is using tuition waivers more strategically and will work to reduce them over time through scholarship optimization. Provost Sherry Vale described academic portfolio reviews, program closures or consolidations, strategic hiring, and workload policies aimed at aligning resources with demand. They also highlighted student outcomes, including high completion rates, strong employment placement, and NDSU’s role in producing a large share of the state’s engineers, nurses, and agriculture graduates. Several students testified about how NDSU’s mentoring, internships, research, and support services helped them succeed. The committee also heard from partners on New Horizons-related collaborations: Gateway to Science described K-12 STEM outreach in rural and tribal areas, and Sanford Research discussed joint research efforts, including COBRE-related work, obesity and GLP-1 studies, and a joint biostatistics hire. Later speakers highlighted Governor’s School and NDSU’s research and commercialization efforts, including growth in research expenditures and invention disclosures. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of the pain was not knowing, but some of the information was not available until the DNA samples
• samples.
• Cole and I completed our paperwork, had an in-person interview, provided DNA samples, and were advised
• So I had to drive back to Kerrville and do a DNA swap.
• So I had to drive back to Kerrville and do a DNA swap.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What this bill does is it tells the state and it tells all the citizens of this state that a sample of
• And, you know, if we had to, we could make an exception for DNA evidence, too.
• Well, and it may be elsewhere in the law, but DNA is not as cumbersome to store.
• If I'm the defendant, I may want my DNA evidence destroyed. Yeah. So, Mr. Moody. Yes, sir. Rope.
• So you're wanting, the second you know that they're not going to give you a sample, to be able to, for

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2777 by Representative Rose, which would bar the death penalty for defendants who can prove by clear and convincing evidence that they had schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and active psychotic symptoms at the time of the offense. Rose said the bill would still hold defendants accountable through life without parole, would save money by avoiding lengthy capital litigation, and would address cases where severe mental illness was not adequately considered. Supporters from NAMI Texas, the Catholic bishops, and a forensic psychologist said the bill is narrowly tailored, consistent with neuroscience and moral principles, and would prevent executions of people whose psychosis substantially impaired reality testing. Committee members questioned how the bill interacts with existing competency and insanity law, whether the diagnosis is sufficiently defined, and whether the statute requires active psychosis at the time of the offense. An opponent argued the death penalty should remain available for juries to decide in all cases. The bill was left pending. The committee then heard House Bill 1221 by Representative Lozano, which would raise the cap on pretrial intervention program fees from $500 to $1,200. Lozano and a district attorney witness said the increase is needed because program costs have risen and the fees help make diversion programs self-sustaining, allowing first-time or low-level offenders to complete rehabilitation and potentially obtain expunction. Opponents from the Texas Fair Defense Project argued the higher fee could make diversion unaffordable for indigent defendants and undermine an important alternative to incarceration, especially where related supervision and monitoring costs already add up. Members discussed whether the fee applies only to PTI participants, how payment plans and waivers work, and whether ability to pay should be addressed more explicitly. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1738 by Representative Jones, which would repeal Penal Code Section 21.06 and related Health and Safety Code references concerning homosexual conduct. Jones said the law is unconstitutional under Lawrence v. Texas, remains harmful on the books, and has led to confusion and unnecessary costs even though it is unenforceable. Supporters said the bill simply removes outdated language and protects civil liberties, while opponents from Texas Values argued the statute still serves as a statement that homosexual conduct is unacceptable and should remain as a warning, even if unenforceable. Members debated whether the law’s remaining language is merely symbolic or still harmful, and whether other criminal statutes already cover conduct such as prostitution, incest, and offenses involving minors. The bill was left pending after testimony.

Bills: HB75, SB134, SB201, SB258, SB288, SB313, SB320, SB321, SB325, SB339, SB345, SB393, SB422, SB440, SB470, SB487, SB523

Keywords: HB75, Act 963, gaming, casino gaming, promotional play, promotional wagers, slot machine proceeds, net gaming proceeds, gross revenue, taxable revenue, gaming operators, gaming tax, Louisiana gaming, gaming revenue deduction, casino tax, gaming promotion, revenue cap, pilot program, child sexual abuse materials, sexting

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that a sample audit of the EFA I know that a sample audit of the EFA program<01:41:10.480>
• As I said, it has been part of the DNA statute since 2004, and the DNA statute has worked relatively
• <02:27:19.600> and part of the DNA statute since 2004. and part of the DNA statute since 2004
• . and the<02:27:19.920> DNA<02:27:20.240> statute<02:27:20.640> has<02:27:20.880
• > worked<02:27:21.120> relatively the DNA statute has worked relatively the DNA statute

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're an angler, you've got hope baked into your DNA.
• You've got hope baked into your DNA.
• I believe the first samples are coming into the lab shortly, so we're starting testing early.
• I think Monterey is the next sample that will be coming in, so we'll be tracking that closely, working
• through the hoops, you know, to do some of this work without just getting killed from regulatory sampling

Summary: The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture held its annual State of the Fishery forum, focusing on salmon, Dungeness crab, kelp, ocean conditions, and related aquaculture and committee reports. Opening remarks from committee leadership emphasized climate impacts, reduced federal NOAA support, state investments through Proposition 4, coastal resilience funding, and the importance of fisheries to rural economies and tribal communities. Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot described a decade of drought and climate stress, highlighted progress such as Klamath River dam removal, wetland restoration, and the state’s salmon strategy, and warned that federal funding uncertainty and staffing cuts could undermine restoration and fishery recovery efforts. Senator Cortese raised concerns about illegal cannabis cultivation damaging riparian habitat and water flows, and both Crowfoot and Fish and Wildlife Director Bonham said enforcement against illicit grows remains a major environmental priority but is constrained by resources. Director Bonham provided a broad update on California fisheries, reporting encouraging signs for salmon after several difficult years, including improved ocean conditions, stronger returns in some runs, and successful short recreational openings in 2025. He also noted major challenges, including reduced federal hatchery production at Nimbus, ongoing uncertainty around winter-run and spring-run recovery, and the need for continued habitat restoration, monitoring, and hatchery investment. On Dungeness crab, Bonham said the fishery remained valuable but constrained by whale entanglement risk, warming ocean conditions, and domoic acid concerns; he described new marked-line distribution, ropeless and alternative gear trials, and ongoing aerial and vessel monitoring. He also said the department’s unified cannabis enforcement task force had served numerous warrants and seized large amounts of illegal cannabis, but more funding is needed for sustained operations. In the salmon panel, Yurok Tribe fisheries director McCovey said the Klamath still faces low run sizes, climate-driven warming, wildfire impacts, and federal uncertainty, but he pointed to dam removal, restoration work, and AB 263’s river-flow protections as major advances. PCFFA president Bradshaw stressed that the three consecutive salmon closures have devastated coastal communities and argued for major reinvestment in aging Central Valley hatchery infrastructure and better broodstock management at Fall Creek. CalTrout’s Schneider said salmon remain at risk statewide, but cited Prop 4, habitat reconnection, floodplain restoration, improved water management, and monitoring as the main tools for recovery. In the crab panel, CDFW’s Schumann reported that the 2024–25 season produced record prices per pound and about $55 million in value despite delays and trap reductions, but he warned that three confirmed whale entanglements and elevated whale presence could force a conservative opener for 2025–26. PCFFA’s Domrash supported marked line, alternative gear, and a new gear-recovery network, while also criticizing the current ramp system as a response to a problem not fully grounded in science.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had pretty good success with those samples that we send off to NVSL.
• We'll get those sampled and send them off to NVSL for identification.
• We don't want to overwhelm the National Veterinary Service's diagnostic lab with those samples.
• We need to send those samples...
• Now you're seeing what's in the serum, and then we follow that up with the tissue sample.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe it's in my DNA.
• So as a part of our routine monitoring, we do intend to get samples of those to make sure that...
• Routine monitoring, we do intend to get samples of those to make sure those four structural items that
• We'll be collecting those, a sample of those, to make sure the health plans are complying with that.

Summary: The committee met to consider a large slate of appointments, with the main discussion centered on the confirmation of Chavon Harris as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Harris testified about her background in state service and outlined agency priorities including Medicaid financial accountability, transparency, managed care oversight, behavioral health redesign, rural health access, workforce recruitment, and use of technology and AI. Senators questioned her extensively about the Hope Florida/Medicaid settlement controversy, opioid settlement-funded advertising campaigns tied to marijuana prevention and the 2024 Amendment 3 election, public records compliance, abortion reporting and enforcement under the Heartbeat Protection Act, managed care denials, value-based purchasing, and Medicaid funding pressures. After debate, the committee voted to recommend her confirmation, with Senator Polsky voting no. The committee then considered Anna Ortega and Robert Payne for the Florida Public Service Commission. Ortega, a current PSC commissioner and former staff advisor, discussed utility regulation, data center load issues, ratepayer protections, transparency in PSC decisions, and lessons from other states. Payne, a former legislator and longtime utility co-op employee, emphasized his technical background and the need to balance utility returns with consumer affordability. Both nominees were confirmed by unanimous or near-unanimous votes and recommended favorably to the full Senate. Next, the committee heard from Jeffrey Aaron for reappointment to the Public Employees Relations Commission. Aaron described PERC’s role in public-sector labor disputes and said his work had been upheld in appellate courts without reversal. Senators questioned him about his law firm’s state contracts, his role as chairman of Attorney General James Uthmeier’s PAC, and his connection to the Hope Florida Foundation matter; he declined to discuss the pending investigation. Public testimony included opposition from Florida Voice for the Unborn. The committee nevertheless recommended his confirmation, with several no votes. Finally, the committee approved the remaining appointees on tabs 5 through 46 in a single vote, postponing Dr. John Littell and DCF Secretary Hatch, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And right here, I’ll just give a little sample.
• And right here, I’ll just give a little sample.
• And right here, I’ll just give a little sample. I can go on there days after days.
• Aluminum, mercury, animal blood, parts of animal organs, mRNA that changes a person's DNA, and many other
• -19 vaccines: aluminum, mercury, animal blood, parts of animal organs, mRNA that changes a person's DNA

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Like DNA testing for CWD has gotten a lot better in recent years.
• It's no different than DNA testing; you all know how that has evolved over the years.
• It's no different than DNA testing; you all know how that has evolved over the years.
• It's no different than DNA testing; you all know how that has evolved over the years.
• If any of those samples were to come back positive, they then rerun a sample to confirm that, in fact

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on the genetic side, um, the screwworm's genome has been sequenced, so we know all of the, the, the DNA
• Or if you suspected it was screwworm, you took those samples and you sent them in.
• Uh, or maggots, uh, we'll get those samples and send them off to NVSL for identification.
• We're, we're, we, we need to send those samples in, in, Um, the, the face of an out of an infestation
• And then also, as we talk about 24 hour hotlines and taking samples and things like that, is, I know

Transcript Highlights:

• You can't change your DNA.
• You can't change<02:42:38.640> your<02:42:38.800> DNA.
• change your DNA. change your DNA. um<02:42:41.120> it<02:42:41.439> just<02:42:41.760
• And also note that DNA testing for rape kits is deeply backlogged already.
• Um and also note that DNA to prosecute.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Dna evidence must be collected quickly or else it erodes.
• Additionally, the surveys are generally to sample. It's not every student in the state.
• We're talking about making health care decisions, access review of medical records, DNA storage review

Keywords: 999, senate, all