Transcript Highlights:

• I am the Associate Deputy Controller for Tax Administration at the Comptroller's office.
• Uh, and exclusion associated with the state's major taxes plus property taxes.
• So that was, uh, Senate Bill 3, from last session, and I believe the, the revenue loss associated with
• There are penalties associated if the business owner fails to render or if they file a late rendition
• Um, the 2023 property tax relief, um, actually shifted the school tax burden to some degree from.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the Associate Deputy Controller for Tax Administration at the Controllers. office.
• There are penalties associated if the business owner fails to render or if they file a late rendition
• The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association. has existed for about 50 years and we advocate for tax
• The 2023 property tax relief actually shifted. the school tax burden to some degree from homeowners.
• Typically, you know, my association, for instance, we rent commercial office space and you know, that

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But on a population level, we have found that higher exposure to ACEs is associated with increased risk
• ACEs are associated with long-term system impacts. There's a vast agreement in the research.
• My pastor is two years into a three-year study leading to a master's degree in counseling.
• , family and science degrees, right?
• , social work degrees, I wanted a home visitor.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Overdorf: violations of the records and moves it from a first degree misdemeanor to a third degree felony
• Jennifer Prichard, Florida Police Chief Association, waives in support.
• I say this as a white woman in America and I think I have experienced a degree of safety just because
• Jeff Skala of Florida Association of Counties followed by Charles Chapman, Florida League of Cities.
• Jeff Skala: Jeff Skala, Florida Association of Counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• IN MY YEAR OF SERVICE I WILL BE COMPLETING THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TO PURSUE A DEGREE IN NUTRITIONAL
• IN FLORIDA THERE ARE 10 INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS AVAILABLE INCLUDING AGRICULTURE ASSOCIATE, AGRICULTURAL
• STUDENTS ARE IN MEMBERSHIP DEGREES AND AWARDS BASED ON THEIR SKILLS AS WELL AS THE DOLLARS THEY EARN
• AND YOU ARE REPRESENTING TACH. >> TACH IS THE AMERICAN TRADE ASSOCIATION OF CANNABIS AND HEMP AND LET
• WE HAVE ALLIE McNAIR WAIVING IN SUPPORT, FLORIDA SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So everybody else who's spoken so far has a law degree.
• I think, I don't know, does Representative Niska have a law degree? I'm not sure.
• A body that has many people who have law degrees, many people who understand how law works, and many
• The Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota Sheriff's Association raised concerns about your
• And so I'd like to just end by pointing out the Minnesota Sheriff's Association and the Association of

Transcript Highlights:

• I currently serve as president of the NMOA, New Mexico Optometric Association, and I'm vice chair for
• We represent the New Mexico Optometric Association.
• Not suggesting myself, but there are folks with degrees in early childhood or people who are fit who
• It's just not And so the law says if you distribute cannabis to a minor, it is a fourth degree felony
• So that's an issue for me if we start saying, 'Oh, this one needs to be first degree.'

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• associated associated costs<02:16:48.760> and<02:16:49.719> representative<02:16:50.319
• Bar Christino, executive director of the New Hampshire School Boards Association.
• <05:04:59.120> with<05:04:59.400> inadequate cost associated with inadequate cost associated
• So, yes, to a degree, I think that's fair game.
• So, yes, to a degree, I think that's fair game.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 659, which would establish the New Hampshire College Graduate Retention Incentive Program. A Department of Revenue Administration analyst explained technical issues in the bill, focusing on whether the incentive is intended to operate as a rebate or a tax credit, how it would be administered, and how it would interact with the business enterprise tax and business profits tax. She said the bill’s language was unclear on the administering agency, effective tax years, caps, and carry-forward treatment, and noted that reducing BET can also reduce the BET credit against BPT, though not on a one-for-one basis. Committee members asked follow-up questions about the BET/BPT interaction, administrative costs, and whether the Department of Business and Economic Affairs would need additional staffing. Andrew Horn then testified in support, saying the bill is meant to address the large number of New Hampshire college graduates who leave the state after graduation by encouraging them to stay and by incentivizing businesses to hire them. The chair closed the hearing on HB 659 after no further public testimony. The committee then took up HB 770, a bill to establish a program allowing New Hampshire high school students to earn tuition credits at state higher education institutions through community service. Representative Schultz described the bill as a “triple play” intended to increase volunteerism, expand service and internship opportunities for students, and make college more affordable. Ryan Casey, a junior at Bishop Brady High School, testified that the proposal would help students reduce future loan debt while benefiting communities and encouraging young people to attend college in New Hampshire. Committee members asked about eligibility, including why private and preparatory school students were excluded, whether public school students would qualify, whether mandatory service hours would count, and how the bill’s references to education and business eligibility should be read. Schultz said the exclusion of private and prep schools was intended because public school students are more clearly New Hampshire residents, and she noted that mandatory school service hours had been excluded in revisions. The Department of Education then testified that the program would require significant administration, estimating at least three full-time staff, software or tracking systems, and rulemaking to oversee volunteer sites, schools, student eligibility, and tuition credit distribution. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the hearing remained in testimony phase.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Massachusetts Bankers Association has a great apprenticeship program.
• And I'm wondering if you've had, since you have the association, have you had time to meet with folks
• one of the things, so as you have your larger question, I mean, we really look at Mass Bankers Association
• some really cool stuff with automotive mechanic contracting apprenticeship programs and associate's degree
• stuff with, you know, automotive mechanic contracting apprenticeship programs and an associate's degree

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened with roll call and approved the January minutes. Members then heard from Undersecretary of Labor and Workforce Development Josh Cutler, who gave an update on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s apprenticeship efforts and emphasized apprenticeship as an earn-while-you-learn model that can help address workforce shortages while including people with disabilities. He described growth in apprenticeships across sectors such as banking, bio, early education, health care, and human services, and noted recent milestones including the state’s 10,000th registered apprenticeship, expanded tax credits, reduced program fees, added apprenticeship liaisons, and Grow grants to support program development. Committee members focused on how apprenticeship could be adapted for human services and disability-related jobs, including early education, direct care, PCA work, sterile processing, and related health occupations. They asked about funding structures, employer participation, community college involvement, and how to make programs accessible to people with disabilities. Cutler explained that apprenticeship programs are employer-designed but must meet core requirements such as paid employment, at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning, related technical instruction, mentorship, and progressive wages. He said the state can support programs through the registered apprenticeship tax credit, which he said is $4,800 per apprentice and can be stacked with the disability employment tax credit, and through Grow grants, which were most recently awarded at about $2.1 million statewide. Members and Cutler discussed using intermediaries such as trade associations, nonprofits, and disability organizations to help employers set up programs and navigate incentives. He said the commission could be useful as a convener and suggested a targeted panel or information session with apprenticeship liaisons, employers, and existing sponsors to identify a few specific occupations and build a proof of concept. The meeting ended with agreement to follow up offline on potential partner employers, including Eastern Bank, and on possible next steps for a focused panel or pilot opportunities.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have over 140 different certificate and degree programs here at San Juan College.
• We had 57 students actually earn associate degrees at the same time they completed their high school
• Are you guys looking at doing anything related to associate degrees or certificates in AI or quantum?
• My name is Perla Gething, and I'm the associate director at Economic Council Helping Others.
• I serve as president-elect of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know that a condo association can get a discount on the policy.
• I can't answer that to any degree of certainty.
• I can't answer that to any degree of certainty.
• There are numerous other controversies associated in our region.
• to a first degree felony.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and heard several member introductions and recognitions. The Rules Chair moved CS/CS/SB 622 to the end of the special order calendar, which was adopted without objection. SB 80 on state land management was temporarily postponed, as were later bills SB 716 and CS/CS/CS/SB 1348. The chamber then took up a series of bills, often substituting House companions and adopting amendments before final passage. Measures approved included a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan (HB 295, 38-0), mitigation banking and land development changes with a phosphate mining lands amendment (CS/CS/SB 492, 35-3), aggravated animal cruelty with a searchable FDLE database and sentencing multiplier (HB 255, 37-0), the Spectrum Alert for missing children with autism and related training/funding (HB 711, 37-0), newborn screening for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (CS/CS/HB 1089, 36-0), and revisions to the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to expand eligible mitigation projects and adjust approval thresholds (CS/CS/HB 393, 37-0). The Senate also passed workforce education legislation allowing charter schools access to grant funding and expanding money-back guarantees (HB 1145, 37-0), a statewide study on automation and workforce impact (HB 827, 35-0), parole guideline revisions (HB 181, 37-0), court-appointed psychologist procedures in family law cases (HB 901, 37-0), sexual cyber harassment protections covering digitally forged intimate images (HB 1451, 37-0), a home health aide program for medically fragile children with training and reimbursement provisions (CS/CS/SB 1156, 37-0), substance abuse and mental health care changes including 988 oversight and involuntary examination procedures (HB 1091, 37-0), a feasibility study for a statewide pond data database (HB 1359, 37-0), and Department of Law Enforcement housekeeping changes and retired police dog reimbursements (HB 1053, 37-0). The most extensive debate centered on the charter schools bill (HB 443), which expanded charter autonomy, reporting parity, enrollment flexibility, and governance rules; after a delete-all amendment and a friendly amendment, it was placed on the third-reading calendar rather than immediately voted on. Several bills were briefly discussed with concerns about transparency, accountability, funding, and constitutional issues, but all bills brought to a vote during this segment passed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, Sarah Toiki, on behalf of the Teachers Association, and I would like to testify in support of this
• I'm Alexis Chapman for HFIA, Hawaii Food Industry Association.
• Members of the committee, I am Pedro Har, executive director of the American Lung Association.
• uh you have my written Association uh you have my written testimony<00:53:04.000> we're<00:53
• um should be an associations um should be an over-the-counter<00:53:33.720> medication<00:53:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• schedules with their military commitments in the university while also ensuring timely progress towards degree
• Ensuring timely progress toward a degree completion, to better support these students, House Bill 102
• I'm the president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, where the Texas State Chamber, and I'm
• I'm the president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business where the Texas State Chamber.
• I'm the president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, where the Texas State Chamber, and I'm

Bills: HB102, HB300, SB2255

Keywords: military education, early registration, ROTC, corps of cadets, higher education, military academy, scholarship, military, Texas Armed Services, military spouses, occupational licensing, state agency, license requirements, reciprocity, training and education

Summary: The Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs heard three measures focused on military-connected students, service members, veterans, and their families. House Bill 102 would give eligible students in military-related university programs early registration privileges, similar to existing accommodations for expectant mothers and student athletes. House Bill 300 would modernize the Texas Armed Services Scholar program by increasing scholarship funding, clarifying the student employment agreement, and creating a scholarship coordinator at THECB to help students and families navigate the program. Senate Bill 2255 drew the most discussion and testimony. The bill would streamline occupational licensing for military members, spouses, and veterans by allowing Texas licensure based on an out-of-state license in good standing with a similar scope of practice, removing the Texas residency requirement, and shortening agency processing time from 30 days to 10 days in the committee substitute. Supporters from the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations, the Texas Association of Business, the Institute for Justice, TDLR, and the VFW said the bill would reduce bureaucratic delays, improve employment opportunities, and help military families maintain income during relocations. TDLR also described current licensing confusion between state and federal rules and said the bill would improve alignment and data collection. No witnesses testified against any of the bills. After public testimony closed on each measure, HB 102, HB 300, and SB 2255 were left pending in committee. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Association.
• Association in support.
• Association. so.
• Association in support.
• Association and strong support of the bill.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with the most detailed discussion focused on AB 316, AB 251, AB 474, AB 1201, AB 464, and AB 614. AB 316 would prevent AI developers or deployers from arguing in civil cases that an AI system’s alleged autonomy absolves them of responsibility. Supporters framed it as a narrow guardrail to protect families, especially children, from harms like dangerous chatbots and deepfakes; opponents, including TechNet and the Chamber of Progress, raised concerns about possible strict-liability implications. The bill was moved out of committee to Privacy and Consumer Protection. AB 251 would let judges lower the burden of proof in elder abuse cases when a skilled nursing facility or RCFE intentionally destroys evidence. Supporters said the measure is needed because elder abuse victims are often unable to testify and records are vulnerable to spoliation, while opponents argued existing sanctions are sufficient and warned of more litigation. The bill passed, with committee members emphasizing the vulnerability of elder abuse victims. AB 474 sought to expand nonprofit home-sharing programs, including tax incentives for low-income homeowners and changes to housing law and lodger rules. Supporters said it would help older adults and low-income Californians avoid homelessness, but several members and the California Apartment Association raised concerns about removing lodger-law protections for homeowners; the author committed to keep working on the issue. The bill passed to Human Services. AB 1201 would give courts discretion to provide family reunification services to parents with certain violent felony convictions, rather than applying an automatic bypass. Supporters from Starting Over Inc. described personal experiences with permanent family separation and argued the bill would give parents a fair chance when the conviction is unrelated to child safety. Some members supported the measure but questioned whether domestic violence histories should be treated differently; the author said the bill still allows courts to deny services when reunification would endanger a child. The bill passed to Human Services. AB 464 addressed sexual abuse and retaliation in state prisons by extending reporting time after release, adding 90-day monitoring after reports, barring rehiring of confirmed abusers, and strengthening reporting and anti-retaliation rules. Survivors testified about abuse, retaliation, and failures in CDCR’s response; the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 614 would standardize the Government Claims Act filing deadline at one year for all claims. The author and supporters argued the current six-month deadline for injury and wrongful death claims is too short for victims to learn the process, find counsel, and gather evidence, while businesses often get a full year. A civil rights attorney and a family member of a deceased jail detainee testified in support, describing how the current deadline can block meritorious claims. The bill was presented for committee consideration as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• closely with the fire chiefs association closely with the fire chiefs association to<01:26:40.320
• receiving their um bachelor's degree receiving their um bachelor's degree prior<04:50:11.920>
• significantly<04:53:55.360> negative associated with a significantly negative associated
• Association of Social Workers speaking Association of Social Workers speaking in<05:10:04.958> favor
• This the degree granting institution.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next, we have lupus Parsons with Florida Homebuilders Association. Waiving in support.
• And everyone can follow without being a calculator or a dime store accounting degree.
• Benjamin Stearns with Florida Captive Insurance Association waiving in support.
• Makes it a second-degree felony to shoot into an occupied autonomous vehicle, makes it a third-degree
• Next, we have French Brown from the outdoor advertising association waiving in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, Texas International Produce Association.
• Joining us today in the gallery here, the Texas Association of Local.
• Housing Finance Agencies and Rural Rentals Housing Associations joining them as well.
• Today in the gallery we have members of the Texas Building Owners and Management Association.
• Courtesy of the Building Owners and Management Association.

Bills: SJR 1, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 36, SJR 1, SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40

Keywords: bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m always looking for more than the third-degree felony. Well, there you have it.
• I’m always looking for more than the third-degree felony. Well, there you have it.
• I think they, I think that, well, I will let the Chiefs Association and the Sheriff's Association speak
• the Sheriff's Association of Texas and myself.
• the Sheriff's Association of Texas and myself.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The United States, Iowa State University, go Cyclones, and later obtained an advanced degree from the
• He is a founding member of the Georgia Organic Peanut Association, where he helps create markets for
• Together, with 55 other Farm Credit associations, we are committed to supporting rural communities in
• To some degree.
• Our farm credit system, all farm credit associations have a young beginning small farmer program.

Keywords: farm bill, rural economy, crop insurance, access to credit, young farmers, USDA funding freeze, agricultural policy, risk management

Summary: The meeting of the agricultural committee focused on significant concerns regarding the current state of America's rural economy, highlighting the need for a strong five-year farm bill to address the challenges faced by farmers, particularly young and beginning farmers. Key testimony was given by multiple stakeholders including agricultural leaders and young farmers, emphasizing issues related to crop insurance, access to credit, and the adverse impact of recent USDA funding freezes. Various members discussed the necessity of risk management tools that farmers rely on to secure financing, which is crucial for sustaining agricultural operations and supporting rural communities. The importance of timely legislative action was underscored, as many farmers reported struggles in the current economic climate, raising urgency for reforms within the Farm Bill framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• You have to have a master's degree.
• There are some doctoral degrees out there, but right now the majority of programs are master's degree-awarded
• You have to have a master's degree.
• There are some doctoral degrees out there, but right now the majority of programs are master's degree-awarded
• It requires a bachelor's degree to apply, extensive prerequisite courses, and significant hands-on health

Bills: HB31, HB31

Keywords: absentee voting, disabled, blind, voter assistance, voting rights, SNAP, public assistance, nutritional standards, waiver, food regulation, 1136, house, all