Transcript Highlights:

• So I feel I need to say that there are a few areas in this bill that could leave.
• And with that in mind, there are three areas of the bill I would like to discuss.
• This represents a major cost savings for districts that can be utilized in other areas.
• This represents a major cost savings for districts that can be utilized in other areas.
• I'm the policy manager for Teach Plus Texas.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: 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, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The committee continued public testimony on House Bill 2, which would make major changes to public school funding, teacher pay, special education, early learning, school safety, and related programs. Many superintendents and education advocates supported the bill’s overall direction but urged changes, especially a larger basic allotment and more flexible funding for rural and small districts. Witnesses from Paint Creek, West Hardin, Cushing, Blooming Grove, Mildred, Buffalo, Plano, and rural school groups said the bill’s targeted raises and new requirements would not fully cover inflation, TRS/Medicare costs, transportation, insurance, or support staff salaries, and several asked the committee to restore the House version’s higher basic allotment and small-school allotment. Charter school representatives supported the facilities funding changes and said charter schools need state help because they cannot levy taxes, while also noting the funding gap with ISDs. Fine arts advocates asked the committee to restore the fine arts allotment, arguing arts improve engagement, attendance, and academic outcomes, especially in rural and at-risk communities. Early learning and special education witnesses supported parts of the bill but raised concerns about pre-K restrictions, disability-related pre-K access, and the need to preserve or clarify special education provisions and mental health oversight language. Several witnesses praised the teacher pay raise, teacher incentive allotment expansion, and teacher preparation investments, saying they would help recruit and retain educators and improve student outcomes. Others, including counselors and support staff advocates, argued the bill should also include raises for counselors, nurses, librarians, bus drivers, custodians, aides, and other non-teaching employees who keep schools running. One witness from the Texas Counseling Association opposed the substitute because it removed a counselor pay provision, warning of counselor shortages and inequities. A parent and special education advocate said the bill’s structure creates too many strings attached and asked for a larger basic allotment instead of more targeted funding. Another witness from Mental Health America urged keeping the collaborative task force on public school mental health services through 2031, and a disability rights advocate said the committee substitute appears to omit some special education items that were in the House version. The committee also briefly took up House Bill 6, a school discipline bill. After questions about automatic mandatory expulsion for vape possession and concerns about younger students, the committee adopted the substitute and voted to report HB 6 favorably to the full Senate by a 9-1 vote, with Senator Menendez voting no and Senators West and Menendez expressing reservations but supporting further discussion. After that vote, testimony on HB 2 resumed. Senators used the hearing to ask about the bill’s cost, the difference between the basic allotment and the bill’s targeted funding buckets, and whether the permanent teacher pay increase shifts pressure off districts. The bill’s supporters emphasized that it represents an historic, roughly $8 billion investment and that many of the new funding streams are intended to be permanent or to address specific district needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 627 retains the RA requirement for major metropolitan areas since they have a more robust policy and
• bill also exempts this added requirement for smaller jurisdictions, which may lack the capacity to manage
• a consistent and efficient resolution process, since these areas often lack the necessary resources
• Yes, hi, my name is Whitney Parra, and I'm the policy manager at the Texas Affiliation of Affordable
• smaller cities that are not building 4% housing tax credit, uh, developments and the incomes in those areas

Bills: HB164

Keywords: HB 164, HB164, Texas Flood Recovery, Reimbursement, and Reconstruction Program, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, Hill Country floods, July 2025 floods, flood recovery, disaster relief, flood reimbursement, reconstruction grants, resiliency standards, floodplain, base flood elevation, FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, insurance denial, property damage, tenant assistance, rental property

Bills: SF0025, SF0027, SF0043, SF0066

Keywords: landowner licenses, hunting, wildlife management, quota hunt areas, game and fish commission, game management, hunting regulations, black bear, tracking dogs, wildlife conservation, conservation, contracting, supervisor, funding, districts, hunting licenses, donated licenses, life-threatening illness, vision impairment, nonprofit organizations

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:09:10.480><c> area</c><00:09:10.640><c> is</c> every area limited quota area is every area limited
• </c> single areas. I don't know if it's 20%. single areas. I don't know if it's 20%.
• Certain specified areas.
• by area. >> Okay.
• </c> to do this area by area. to do this area by area.

Bills: SF0025, SF0027, SF0043, SF0066

Keywords: landowner licenses, hunting, wildlife management, quota hunt areas, game and fish commission, game management, hunting regulations, black bear, tracking dogs, wildlife conservation, conservation, contracting, supervisor, funding, districts, hunting licenses, donated licenses, life-threatening illness, vision impairment, nonprofit organizations

Transcript Highlights:

• The Animal Damage Management Board is a perfect example.
• And then also to cover associated administrative expenses for the management of that committee.
• And then also to cover associated administrative expenses for the management of that committee.
• </c><01:18:40.239><c> Um</c> It's uh the gateway to those areas.
• Um It's uh the gateway to those areas.

Bills: SF0025, SF0027, SF0043, SF0066

Keywords: landowner licenses, hunting, wildlife management, quota hunt areas, game and fish commission, game management, hunting regulations, black bear, tracking dogs, wildlife conservation, conservation, contracting, supervisor, funding, districts, hunting licenses, donated licenses, life-threatening illness, vision impairment, nonprofit organizations

Transcript Highlights:

• I’d like to say that we are that white area that Mr.
• Water management in Texas is critical, 301 Water management in Texas is critical, not just for urban
• , and manage all of those different things.
• That come from urban and come from rural and come from suburban areas, you've got to be able to manage
• “For the future pumping that the groundwater management areas put into their model runs, they will typically

Bills: HB24, HB27

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Summary: The committee met to hear House Bills 27 and 24 on groundwater issues in East Texas, with members and witnesses focusing on a proposed large-volume groundwater export project and the need for more science before major permitting decisions are made. HB 27, which was within the special session call, would direct the Texas Water Development Board to conduct a hydrogeologic study of the aquifers in the affected area and temporarily pause new export permits while the study is underway. HB 24, a separate bill that would limit certain production and export permits to 5% of modeled available groundwater, was laid out but the chair said it would not be moved out of committee. Testimony on HB 27 was largely supportive, though some witnesses were neutral. Supporters, including representatives from a water supply corporation, the Trinity River Authority, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, said the region lacks enough hydrologic data, that the proposed pumping could affect private wells, surface water, and local economies, and that the state needs better information on sustainable yield and groundwater-surface water interaction. Several witnesses emphasized that groundwater conservation districts need clearer tools and better data, while also noting concerns about property rights and the rule of capture. Committee members discussed the scale of the proposed project, the absence of a groundwater conservation district in Houston County, and the possibility that the study should examine desired future conditions and maximum sustainable pumping rather than only modeled available groundwater. The committee adopted the committee substitute for HB 27 and voted it out favorably to the full House with a recommendation that it do pass, be printed, and be sent to the Committee on Calendars. The roll call was unanimous, 11 ayes and 0 nays. After the vote, members briefly reflected on the complexity of the issue and the need to continue working on broader groundwater policy in the interim and next session. HB 24 was discussed later in the meeting, but no final action on that bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it had previously been an area more rural. Um-hum.
• We still have areas that may be.
• Some of those areas became very in. Industrial.
• The population in the unincorporated area tripled.
• Uh, when you're out in the unincorporated area, the counties don't have that tool.

Bills: HB24

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• Resource management will come to order. The clerk will call the roll. Chairman Gates.
• To those I'm gonna defer that to our city manager.
• for the life, for basically however long that area was within the city limits.
• most cases, they're, they're service areas that fire departments will serve no matter what.
• Hearing none, the chair moves to adjourn the Committee on Land and Resource Management.

Bills: HB24

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• All these areas are growing.
• Um all these areas are growing. Newport. Um all these areas are growing.
• And is it adjacent to this area? added? And is it adjacent to this area?
• </c> build-out of transit in our metro area. build-out of transit in our metro area.
• </c> in in the metro area. in in the metro area.

Bills: HF3373, HF4449, HF3486, HF4180, HF4227, HF2505

Keywords: transportation, interchange, funding, bonds, St. Paul Park, transit, Metropolitan Council, Twin Cities, metro area, high-frequency transit, bus rapid transit, busway, guideway, transportation policy plan, transit performance measures, regional transit benchmarks, transit-oriented development, TOD, zoning, land use

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:34.880><c> in</c> team as well as our project managers in team as well as our project managers
• Got that permitted through the Bureau of Land Management.
• the area we're talking about, west of Hyattville, east of Manderson.
• Got that permitted through the Bureau of Land Management.
• So that state in the different areas.

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from the Madison area, but I go to school at UAV, and I study psychology and criminal justice. psychology
• Under the jurisdiction, there were other areas of that parent company that were not in regulated areas
• Different areas where it is, but it also provides a framework for the rest of the state.
• This legislation proposes specific updates to align Alabama law with present-day Emergency Management
• Any occasion that, if not adequately managed, poses a threat to the health and safety of Alabama.

Bills: HB68, HB140, HB168

Keywords: foreign investment, agriculture, property rights, critical infrastructure, sanctions, HB140, private sewer systems, wastewater utilities, Public Service Commission, PSC jurisdiction, utility regulation, rate setting, rate consolidation, affiliated systems, common ownership, private utilities, sewer rates, wastewater management, Alabama utilities, Jefferson County Board of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• have management on the land.<00:12:19.160><c> Um</c> land.
• </c> showing um the effects of well-managed showing um the effects of well-managed rangeland,<00:12:39.960
• ><c> well-managed</c><00:12:40.480><c> grazing</c><00:12:40.800><c> lands,</c> rangeland, well-managed
• grazing lands, rangeland, well-managed grazing lands, and<00:12:41.560><c> what</c><00:12:41.720><c>
• </c> can be mitigated by well-managed can be mitigated by well-managed rangelands.<00:13:15.520><c> Um

Bills: SCR120, SCR71, SCR164, SCR41

Keywords: rangelands, pastoralists, pastoralism, ranching, ranchers, paniolo, livestock, grazing, grasslands, land management, conservation, sustainable agriculture, agriculture, Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity, University of Hawaii, ecosystem services, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, Hawaii counties, International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3479 by Representative Matt Morgan relates to the Rio Grande Vegetative Management Program
• Furthermore, our past use of selective hunting and controlled areas has not achieved the necessary management
• This bill will allow for management as a qualifying activity for this type of permit.
• It's manageable, but it is significant enough to bend the needle. Can you give me some idea?
• the world's cotton production comes from our area.

Bills: HB43, HB519, HB 1275, HB1592, HB2842, HB3088, HB3479, HB4163, SB823, HB609

Keywords: agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, bovine producers, dairy farms, permits, bovine tuberculosis, public health, wildlife management, disease prevention, alert system, Texas A&M, white-tailed deer, public safety

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met with only four members initially present, so quorum was not established until later in the hearing. The committee heard several agriculture-, wildlife-, and food-labeling-related bills, including HB 3479 on expanding the Rio Grande vegetative management program beyond carrizo cane to other noxious vegetation, SB 823 on shrimp origin labeling and restrictions on misrepresenting imported shrimp as Texas or Gulf shrimp, HB 3088 on giving Texas Parks and Wildlife more flexibility to procure resale goods for park gift shops, HB 1275 on permits for non-bovine dairy farms in certain TB-affected areas, HB 519 on honey production and packaging rules, HB 609 on cleaning oyster cages in-bay with bay water only, HB 1592 on a voluntary AgriLife pest and disease alert system, HB 2842 on targeted urban deer depredation permits, and HB 4163 on limiting city requirements that agricultural operators maintain roadside rights-of-way. Testimony generally came from industry groups, agency resource witnesses, and affected producers, with most witnesses supporting the bills and several bills drawing questions about enforcement, labeling responsibility, and the scope of local authority. The most extensive discussion centered on SB 823, where Vice Chair Hancock and others questioned why wholesalers would be covered if they cannot relabel products. The bill author and restaurant association witness said the measure was intended to improve transparency and allow enforcement against intentional mislabeling, while preserving a good-faith defense and clarifying that the bill does not create a private cause of action. HB 519 also drew supportive testimony from beekeepers and a family farm, who argued that current rules treat honey extraction and bottling too much like food manufacturing and burden small operations. HB 609 was presented as a way to save time and resources for cultivated oyster mariculture by allowing cage cleaning in the bay without soaps or chemicals, and HB 1592 was described as a voluntary opt-in alert system for pests and diseases coordinated through AgriLife and other state agencies. HB 43 generated the most detailed policy debate. The bill would restructure and expand the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority, update grant and loan programs, and create a pest and disease control depredation program. The committee substitute reduced some funding caps, changed references from predators to depredating animals, and made the financial provisions contingent on appropriations. Supporters from Texas Farm Bureau, cotton growers, grain and feed interests, and young farmers described severe drought, inflation, land loss, rising input costs, and shrinking infrastructure as major threats to agriculture, while one witness urged preserving priority for young farmers. After testimony, the committee adopted the committee substitute and reported HB 43 favorably. The committee also voted HB 519, HB 609, HB 1275, HB 1592, HB 3088, HB 3479, HB 2842, and HB 4163 favorably, with several recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. SB 823 was reported from committee on a 6-2 vote after adoption of the committee substitute. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would tentatively reconvene Friday morning and then recessed subject to the chair's call.

Transcript Highlights:

• when we went back years past, you know, we're kind of playing catch up right now with emergency management
• But what I do know is emergency management.
• And so, in short, it's to manage the large federal civil rights judgments that we've seen so recent,
• It depends on the area, it depends on the engagement.
• it so that the inmate or the accused has a more secure route to get from The vehicle to the booking area

Bills: SB1288, SB1705, SB1878, SB2019, SB2118

Keywords: emergency management, federal funding, disaster relief, cost sharing, public assistance, bail reform, public funds, nonprofit organizations, political subdivisions, injunctive relief, criminal procedure, surety bond, judicial discretion, uniform bond schedule, liability insurance, judgments, insurance fund, Oklahoma, county sheriff, commissary

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the biggest water supplier in the area.
• areas, and other diverse backgrounds.
• In urban areas, you've got to be able to manage all of those different things.
• As a landowner, I want the management as close to me as possible because I want it managed effectively
• Future pumping that the groundwater management areas put into their model runs.

Bills: HB24, HB27, HB24, HB27

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management, 997, house, all

Bills: HB112, HB117

Keywords: county regulation, impervious cover, land use, unincorporated areas, environmental management

Bills: HB178

Keywords: efficiency audit, political subdivision, tax rate, fiscal management, government accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• funding for our legal costs, which will force these costs to be paid from programs and services in areas
• We would reconsider funding levels in these areas to align with the recommendations made by the Governor
• These investments are making future extreme weather impacts more manageable and less expensive for everyone

Bills: HF2439

Keywords: environmental protection, pollution reduction, waste management, climate change, funding allocations

Transcript Highlights:

• or environment, and who exhibits high performance capability and intellectual, creative or artistic area
• Filing and hearing of this bill, uh, is recognition of the serious challenges that we face in the area
• Um, those are areas that childcare centers, we are well seasoned in.
• That is an area where elementary schools do struggle to support their teachers.
• Growth and that's an area we actively work to facilitate with this current setup.

Bills: HB117

Keywords: county regulation, impervious cover, land use, unincorporated areas, environmental management