Transcript Highlights:

• And right now with volatile input prices, rising fertilizer costs, and extreme drought conditions, our
• That means that more money stays on the land where it falls and not lost downstream and in drought prone
• It lowers startup costs, reduces water use, improves drought resilience, and builds soil that produces
• Countermeasure to drought.
• There is a lot of a lot of this agricultural problems from drought to overuse of chemicals to overuse

Transcript Highlights:

• We are very susceptible to droughts and we overuse our irrigation. that we can't cycle nutrients through
• farm profitability and right now with volatile input prices, rising fertilizer costs, and extreme drought
• Improves drought resilience.
• So, we have to figure out how to conserve water as Texas farmers. countermeasure to drought.
• From drought, to overuse of chemicals, to overuse of fertilizers, to...

Bills: HB3032, HB3434, HB3574, HB5339, HB5646

Keywords: nursing education, clinical sites, health facilities, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, legislative study, healthcare training, tuition, financial assistance, higher education, public institutions, student support, nonresident students, Texas Education Code, resident tuition, scholarships, regenerative agriculture, grants, sustainable farming, soil health, bioremediation

Transcript Highlights:

• of a drought and we still are.
• We all saw the maps earlier today in a 1930-style drought.
• We all saw the maps earlier today in a 1930-style drought.
• It's, you know, in case of severe drought or, you know, to provide municipal water there.
• So we would have to get into a drought that's even more severe than the 1930s drought before we even

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the takeaway message is the darker the red, the more drought we're in.
• The lighter to white, the less drought. And overall, we're looking at worsening conditions.
• And you know, we have extreme drought, and of course most of the Rio Grande is experiencing that as well
• Uh, this is just another drought outlook in terms of what they're looking at, and the outlook is going
• And again, the darker the brown, the more drought we're expecting to persist into the future, into July

Transcript Highlights:

• When drought crushed farmers in 2022, we sent $8.1 million dollars.
• When<00:04:14.320> drought When drought When drought uh<00:04:15.840> crushed<00:04:16.280
• Minnesota helped flood victims and drought victims and mill towns and paper towns.
• Minnesota helped flood victims and drought victims and mill towns and paper towns.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House and Senate DFL lawmakers held a Capitol news conference to press for a $100 million small business relief package in response to the economic fallout from Operation Metro Surge and related ICE enforcement activity. Representatives Cedrick Frazier and Jay Xiong, along with Senator Susan Pappas and other supporters, said the enforcement surge caused widespread fear, reduced customer traffic, lost wages, and closures for immigrant-owned and other small businesses in Minneapolis-St. Paul and greater Minnesota. They argued the state has a history of providing disaster-style aid when communities are harmed through no fault of their own and said this situation warrants similar action. Business and community testimony described specific losses: a Willmar restaurant closed after both parents were detained, a North Mankato grocery store opening was delayed, The Coven reported a 33% revenue drop at two locations, and Lake Street businesses were said to have lost substantial revenue and staff. Speakers said the damage affected workers, landlords, suppliers, and neighborhood corridors statewide, and several emphasized that the relief should come as grants or forgivable loans rather than additional debt. They also criticized House Republican leaders for tying the relief to changes in paid family leave and for blocking a public hearing. In response to questions, Frazier said negotiations were ongoing through committee chairs and conference committee, with the issue still being discussed in broader leadership talks. He said the House would need only one Republican vote in committee and on the floor to advance the measure, and identified Chair Baker as a possible supporter because of harm in his district. Speakers said the Senate has already passed the relief and urged the House to act quickly before the end of session.

Transcript Highlights:

• percent of our water plan is relying on conservation strategies in order to meet those. demands and a drought
• They note the severity of drought, they note reservoir levels. aquifer storage, and the rising temperatures
• Texas is growing so rapidly and with increased instances of drought, we're facing a water crisis. long-term
• City of Corpus, as the regional water provider to a seven-county region, is It's facing prolonged drought
• dependency on surface water leaves us Vulnerable and has encouraged us to look for alternative more drought

Bills: HB 1089, HB 1163, HB 1177, HB 1238, HB1318, HB1400, HB1407, HB1532, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, we don't want to wish a drought on anybody, but if everybody else could have a drought,
• Um, you know, we don't want to wish a drought on anybody, but if everybody else could have a drought,
• cattle country is is in moderate drought cattle country is is in moderate drought or<00:46:01.200
• So, floods, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, you know, drought has been mentioned a few times throughout
• <00:52:15.040> and resistant to, you know, drought and resistant to, you know, drought and

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:18 University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics Presentation 00:02:18 Farm Credit Mid-America Presentation 01:12:41, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you see some weekly drought monitor.
• So there's a icing, drought situations.
• This is taking advantage of the drought.
• And the drought index for that period.
• And so by using the state as in drought.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met with a quorum, approved the August meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Dr. Jerry Brosky of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center. He described the Mesonet’s statewide weather network, now with 84 stations in 78 counties, real-time data used by the National Weather Service, mobile apps, and more than a billion observations. He said recent legislative funding has allowed upgrades such as soil temperature and moisture sensors, cameras at every site, and improved communications and power systems, and has enabled expansion into new counties. He also highlighted products used for flooding, drought, and heat safety, including a wet bulb globe temperature tool being developed with the Department of Public Health. In response to questions, he said counties interested in a station should contact his center, that a station typically costs about $50,000, and that the program is already considering a second Pike County site. The committee then heard from Ryan Drain of Blue Skies and Chris McGee of the American Red Cross on long-term disaster recovery and a software platform called Darcy, short for Disaster Aware and Ready Communities Initiative. McGee explained the Red Cross’s long-term recovery work, including support for recovery groups, direct financial assistance, grantmaking, and coordination with local and federal partners. He emphasized that disasters are occurring more frequently and with repeated impacts, and shared examples from Kentucky and other states showing the need for organized recovery and storm shelter support. Drain said Darcy was developed after the 2021 Mayfield-Graves tornado recovery to replace fragmented spreadsheets and PDFs with a centralized, survivor-led system for preparedness, response, and recovery, designed to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and shorten recovery time. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's getting worse each year because of the drought, right?
• So water's a scarce resource to begin with and us being in a drought makes it that much more harder.
• can down the road for another legislature, or, you know, I mean, who knows where we end up, but the drought
• those storms this last summer and fall, and most of the Southwest and northern Mexico are in severe drought

Transcript Highlights:

• number of... ...areas where we've effectively controlled the Cane, but where there's pressure from drought
• It is crucial to help us over these humps of drought and disaster that...
• The loss of production due to drought has severely affected the infrastructure of the cotton industry
• Due to drought, there are no similar programs for cotton gins.
• Unpredictable weather, we went from being in a drought to everything being flooded right now.

Bills: HB 43, HB 3364, HB 3469, HB 3479, HB 43, HB 3364, HB 3469, HB 3479

Keywords: agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, veterinarian, veterinary medicine, veterinary telemedicine, telehealth, telemedicine, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, animal health, livestock, pets, remote care, electronic means, telephone consultation, controlled substances, prescription drugs

Summary: The second bill, House Bill 3469, was introduced to address pest control regulations concerning nuisance birds. Representative Campos explained how the bill proposes non-lethal methods to deter these birds, such as the use of laser lights and sounds, which avoids conflict with both state and federal regulations. The committee heard impassioned testimonies from members of the public who shared firsthand experiences regarding the adverse effects of these birds on property and public health. The meeting concluded with both bills being left pending, reflecting a desire for further deliberation among the committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're really good with droughts and fires. We're really good at staying, but we forget.
• We're really good with droughts and fires. don't come very often. And so it's really hard.
• We're really good with droughts and fires because droughts last a long time and they seem to be coming
• The 2023 water year, but we dodged a bullet because it was preceded by two years of drought.
• Because we were in a drought, that burn scar hadn't healed.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on flood risk and flood management in California, with opening remarks emphasizing that flooding is a statewide and growing threat due to climate change, including the possibility of extreme losses in a worst-case event. Members noted recent flooding in places such as San Diego, the Tulare Basin, and Pajaro, and framed the hearing as a way to better understand prevention, response, and how to capture excess water for later use. Jeffrey Mount of PPIC gave the main overview, describing California’s high flood exposure, the different flood types the state faces, and the mix of structural and non-structural tools used to manage them. He stressed that levees, dams, bypasses, land-use planning, flood insurance, and emergency response all matter, but that risk is rising because current standards are based on past hydrology rather than future climate conditions. He also warned that flood management is underfunded, that the National Flood Insurance Program is weak, and that federal support is increasingly uncertain. Members asked about groundwater recharge, permitting, NOAA and federal cuts, and which communities are most at risk; Mount said recharge can help but does not eliminate flood risk, and that small Central Valley communities and heavily developed floodplains are especially concerning. State officials Laura Hollander of the Department of Water Resources and Jane Dolan of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board described the state’s role in forecasting, emergency response, grants, planning, and the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. They highlighted aging infrastructure, the need for better coordination, and the state’s special liability in the Central Valley after the Paterno decision. Dolan reviewed the history of major floods and said the plan calls for about $1 billion per year over 30 years to meet current needs, while Hollander said the state works with local and federal partners on preparedness, response, and subventions projects. Both emphasized that floodplain planning, regional coordination, and faster permitting are important, but that more consistent funding is needed. A later panel from local flood agencies and districts reinforced those points, arguing that the state’s annual flood funding is below identified needs and that a proposed statewide flood and dam safety bond was reduced substantially in the broader climate bond package. Witnesses urged more routine maintenance funding, support for regional flood planning, and continued federal-state-local partnerships to reduce risk and maintain eligibility for federal assistance. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:59:11.839> and<00:59:12.400> heavy with the uh droughts and heavy with the uh droughts
• Now, if you look outside, it's no secret that we are in a very intense drought period.
• Um but as a intense drought period.
• <01:00:31.280> Uh idea that there had been a drought.
• Uh idea that there had been a drought.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 219, which would revise the renewable portfolio standard. Representative Bose explained that the bill would modify class one definitions, eliminate class two, reduce the utility obligation for class one thermal renewable energy certificates from 2.2% to 1.7%, and adjust alternative compliance payments for classes one, three, and four. He said the changes were intended to save ratepayers an estimated $5.7 million annually, would not materially harm the renewable portfolio standard, and would have little effect on class two because that market is already saturated. Members questioned the impact on consumers, the state budget, and the renewable energy fund; Bose said the fund had already been redirected in the state budget, and another member noted an amended fiscal note showing a $1.2 million reduction in general fund revenue. The committee also discussed the bill’s history, including that it had been added to HB 2 and later removed by the Senate, and Bose said the Senate’s eventual action was hard to predict. The committee then heard House Bill 164 on local records retention from Secretary of State David Scanlan. He said the long-standing local records manager position had never been funded, but that the need for it had grown as towns increasingly digitize records and must ensure accessibility, including ADA compliance. He described the bill as a way to provide state support and expertise to municipalities, especially smaller towns with limited resources, and said the fiscal note for hiring the position remained accurate, though broader website and storage costs could rise over time. Members asked about retrieving lost records, the cost of a public website, and whether records should remain local or be stored at the state level; Scanlan said the state would serve as a resource rather than take control of local records. Finally, the committee began work on House Bill 365, also with Secretary Scanlan, concerning proof of U.S. citizenship for indigent voters. He said the bill would help voters who may lack required documents under the new voter registration law by allowing the state to verify qualifications through federal, private, or other state databases and by providing vouchers to cover the cost of obtaining documents such as birth certificates. He compared the proposal to earlier voter ID accommodations and said the goal was to help qualified voters meet the new requirements without weakening them. Members raised questions about defining “indigent,” how out-of-state birth records would be handled, and the practicality of the verification process; Scanlan said the term would likely need further discussion and that the state would try to assist voters before election day whenever possible.

Transcript Highlights:

• storms, coastal erosion,<00:39:56.240> and<00:39:56.480> devastating<00:39:57.040> drought
• <00:39:57.440> We<00:39:57.599> saw erosion, and devastating drought.
• We saw erosion, and devastating drought.
• ranching and watershed<00:40:55.920> protections<00:40:56.560> and<00:40:56.880> drought
• watershed protections and drought watershed protections and drought resilience<00:40:57.680>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We all saw the maps earlier today in a 1930-style drought.
• We all saw the maps earlier today in a 1930-style drought.
• We all saw the maps earlier today in a 1930-style drought.
• It's, you know, in case of severe drought or, you know, to provide municipal water there.
• So we would have to get into a drought that's even more severe... ...than the 30-styles drought before

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• The droughts are affecting it, and historically these cities continue to rely exclusively on the Rio
• That project was transferred to the city and has made that city able to survive the multiple droughts
• project prohibited by this bill is a cornerstone of our 100-year water plan, and it's key to improving drought
• In times of plenty, water will be put into the aquifer, but in times of drought, it'll be pulled out.
• With the conversations we've just had and other things, as curtailments are necessary for droughts and

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know climate change is making drought and heat waves more persistent, and Republicans want to use
• We know climate change is making drought and heat waves more persistent, and Republicans want to use
• <03:48:20.640> Allowing<03:48:21.120> states like heat, like drought.
• Allowing states like heat, like drought.
• Look, Colorado, my home state, is facing years of severe drought.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you all may remember, in 2023, there was legislation, the Flood and Drought Plan Act, to strengthen
• Readiness by supporting the Flood and Drought Task Force. So, they stood up this task force.
• You know, drought mitigation when you can hold water back and you can trap sediments so that the larger
• program through interest earnings on others, just like we do for the REAP program and the emergency drought

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• drinking water in a natural aquifer, minimizing evaporation water loss, and helping us bridge times of drought
• Texas faces increasingly complex water challenges from prolonged droughts to sudden destructive flooding
• You already have that data when whenever there's a flooding or whenever there's a drought, you have that
• essential uses like drinking water, agriculture, and energy. industry, especially important in times of drought

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• <04:41:26.560> and<04:41:26.718> in<04:41:26.920> her drought and in her drought
• is a drought is a drought catastrophe<04:41:45.080> then<04:41:45.520> a<04:41:45.680
• Are we facing imminent drought? Are we facing long-term drought? Do we know that?
• facing imminent drought are we facing long-term<04:47:08.840> drought<04:47:09.120> do
• c><04:47:15.840> that of countering drought do we know that of countering drought do we know that

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mexico's not on its treaty, the droughts are affecting it, and historically these cities continue to
• That project was transferred to the city and has made that city able to survive the multiple droughts
• In times of plenty, water will be put into the aquifer, but in times of drought, it'll be pulled out.
• In times of plenty, water will be put into the aquifer, but in times of drought, it'll be pulled out.
• active with the conversations we've just had and other things, as curtailments are necessary for droughts

Summary: The committee met with limited attendance at first, then took up a series of water, agriculture, and rural affairs measures. HB 3898 would allow the Texas Water Development Board to provide financial assistance for brackish water desalination projects in certain border counties and related nonprofit suppliers even if the projects are not in the state water plan. Supporters said it is needed to address severe water shortages in places like Webb County and to support future planning; opponents, including the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, argued it bypasses the regional and state water planning process. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 5339, which would create a higher-education grant program for regenerative agriculture research. A rancher testified that regenerative methods improved soil health, water retention, and farm viability, while a senator noted existing university research but said better coordination could help. Public testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. Members then heard HB 1523, a temporary prohibition on TCEQ issuing Austin a Class 5 injection well permit for an aquifer storage and recovery project in Bastrop and Lee counties until December 2027. Local officials from Bastrop supported the pause, citing unanswered questions about water treatment, recovery rates, and impacts on the aquifer, while Austin Water opposed the substitute, saying the project is central to its long-term water plan and that stakeholder talks were already underway. TCEQ explained its ASR permitting process and said public participation is possible but not always used in the current authorization process. The bill was left pending. HB 5659, concerning the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District and requiring majority city-council approval before certain water sales or interbasin transfers, drew testimony from district officials who said the change could interfere with existing contracts and district authority, but the chair emphasized the need for local buy-in and said the stakeholders had reached a workable compromise; testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 1690, which would expand notice requirements for groundwater export permits so neighboring landowners and potentially affected aquifer areas are informed by certified mail and publication. The sponsor tied the bill to impacts from the Vista Ridge project, and no one testified against it; it was left pending. HB 3333 would prohibit TCEQ from issuing new wastewater discharge permits directly into the Devils River in Val Verde County. The sponsor and a conservation witness said the bill protects one of Texas’s most pristine rivers and reflects a local stakeholder agreement, while TCEQ said it can ensure water quality but acknowledged the river’s unique sensitivity; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HCR 108 urging continuation of the U.S.-Mexico tomato suspension agreement, with supporters warning of major Texas job and consumer-price impacts if it ends, and HCR 76 urging federal action on imported shrimp, citing public health and industry concerns; both were left pending. Additional measures heard and left pending included HB 4158 on compensation for Texana Groundwater Conservation District directors, HB 654 creating a dismissal path for certain first-time deer hunting violations after self-reporting and hunter education, HB 4530 requiring Texas Water Development Board review of groundwater rights placed in the Texas Water Trust, HB 2128 directing a study of rural versus urban firefighting and rescue disparities, and HB 278 requiring groundwater districts and management areas to track progress toward desired future conditions over shorter intervals. On HB 278, witnesses split over whether the bill’s interim tracking would improve accountability or create new triggers that could be used against local districts, but no final vote was taken and the bill was left pending.