Transcript Highlights:

• Vidal's, but I'll drill down a little bit.
• I'm happy to share this report with you because it does, I think, a great job of really drilling down
• Yeah, and that's what I was gonna drill down into. There's two different ways you do this.
• All right, then I'm sorry to drill down on just functionally I'm trying to understand a couple of things

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• So as we look to drill down into that in future years. I really appreciate that clarification.
• A lot of them are outdated and need to be replaced, some of that equipment.
• A lot of them are outdated and need to be replaced, some of that equipment.
• funding dedicated to sustaining no-cost emergency transportation, mental health professionals, medical equipment
• have received over 500 students a day, on average, and this is not something they are monetarily equipped

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the final three-party agreement for the 2026-27 state budget and 19 implementing bills, including two budget bill juniors and 17 trailer bills. Committee leadership and administration officials described the budget as a balanced plan that reduces out-year structural deficits, maintains large reserves, and makes major investments in health care, education, housing, child care, public safety, and other core services while also responding to expected federal cuts and fiscal uncertainty. The Department of Finance outlined the package’s major components, including Medi-Cal adjustments, education funding increases, higher education changes, child care and human services updates, housing and homelessness funding, energy and transportation provisions, and tax and general government changes. Members asked questions about several provisions, including CSU enrollment targets and turnaround plans, the Prop. 98 settle-up mechanism, the plastics market development payment program, housing accountability measures, NextGen 9-1-1 implementation, and veteran services. Staff and administration witnesses explained that the higher education language is intended to improve campus-by-campus reporting and oversight, that Prop. 98 settle-up would be finalized later through the statutory certification process, and that NextGen 9-1-1 now includes one-time funding, quarterly reporting, an independent technical review, and a state audit. Members also discussed the HAP homelessness funding increase to $900 million and the balance between accountability and timely distribution of funds. The most extended exchange centered on comparisons between funding for veterans and Medi-Cal/immigrant health coverage. Republican members argued the budget spends far more on undocumented immigrant services than on veterans, while Democratic members and Finance staff responded that the comparison was misleading because many veterans’ services are federally funded and the state budget also includes dedicated veteran support. The chair and other members emphasized that the budget reflects difficult tradeoffs and that the package protects vulnerable populations, preserves health care access, and advances affordability. No final vote was described in the excerpt, but members indicated support for the overall package and said they would support it on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• A few years ago, my son fell off a piece of playground equipment, broke his arm.
• new changes out of the RV chapter of the Delaware Code and creates a new chapter for recreational equipment
• Approved programs will be required to make available sterile supplies for drug checking and testing equipment
• The fentanyl strips, the testing strips, the Narcan, the drug testing equipment, the syringes have all
• It was drilled into our heads over and over and over again to not touch those with our bare hands.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, accepted the prior day’s minutes, and read several committee reports and communications into the record. Members also observed moments of silence for two young people who had recently died, and the prayer and pledge were offered before the chamber moved into business. Consent calendar number 28, consisting of several resolutions, passed by voice vote. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to tributes and retirement remarks for Representative Jeff Holowski, who was praised by colleagues for his work on financial literacy, veterans’ issues, health care, diabetes policy, and constituent service, as well as for his military service and community involvement. Holowski thanked staff, colleagues, and his family, and said he was retiring to spend more time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. The chamber also recognized former Representative Harvey Kenton as a guest. The House then acted on several measures. Senate Bill 286, as amended by House Amendment 1, passed 40-0 and extends consumer protections and dealer equity standards to ATVs, side-by-sides, and vessels. Senate Bill 179, which updates the Delaware Sentencing Accountability Commission and its bench book/data analysis process, passed 27-14. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 23, the housing supply and affordability bill, was presented with extensive explanation and questions about local control, zoning, and implementation, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that measure. Senate Joint Resolution 18, designating August 31, 2026 as International Overdose Awareness Day and directing flags at half-staff, was also discussed in emotional remarks about overdose losses and the state’s ongoing response. The House later recessed for party caucuses.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, like, 3,600 feet, you can't drill in a neighborhood. This is not a prohibition.
• to respond to California's climate goals, energy efficiency goals, even to put in more protective equipment
• purposes, meeting our climate goals, even installing more protective, you know, materials and systems, equipment
• , they would not be able to take advantage of the exemption to expedite their ability to upgrade equipment
• Compostable plastics have been promoted as a promising alternative, but our current systems are not equipped

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• , relative to sales and use tax rebates, local state sales tax rebates, and purchases of certain equipment
• to sales and use tax rebates, local state and sales tax rebates relative to purchases on certain equipment
• Representative Cruz, public records exception, evaluation of transformers, technical assessment of covered equipment
• Senator Abraham, provides relative to licensing board for contractors, and relative to water well drilling
• And in order to do that, we need to have the staff available and the equipment available to make sure

Bills: HR91 , HR92 , HR93 , HCR44 , HR84 , HR85 , HR86 , HR87 , HR88 , HR89 , HR90 , HCR42 , HCR43 , SCR21 , HB483 , HB484 , HB893 , HB1087 , HB1088 , HB1089 , HB1090 , HB1091 , HB1092 , HB1093 , HB1094 , HB1095 , HB1096 , HB1097 , HB1098 , HB1099 , HB1100 , HB1101 , HB1102 , HB1103 , HB1104 , HB1105 , HB1106 , HB1107 , HB1108 , HB1109 , HB1110 , HB1111 , HB1112 , HB1113 , HB1114 , HB1116 , HB1117 , HB1118 , HB1119 , HB1120 , HB1121 , HB1122 , HB1123 , HB1124 , HB1125 , HB1126 , HB1127 , HB1128 , HB1129 , HB1130 , HB1131 , HB1132 , HB1133 , HB1134 , HB1135 , HB1136 , HB1137 , HB1138 , HB1139 , HB1140 , HB1141 , HB1142 , HB1143 , HB1144 , HB1145 , HB1146 , HB1147 , HB1148 , HB1149 , HB1150 , HB1151 , HB1152 , HB1153 , HB1154 , HB1155 , HB1156 , HB1157 , HB1158 , HB1159 , HB1160 , HB1161 , HB1162 , HB1163 , HB1164 , HB1165 , HB1166 , HB1167 , HB1168 , HB1169 , HB1170 , HB1171 , HB1172 , HB1173 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1176 , HB1177 , HB1178 , HB1179 , HB1180 , HB1181 , HB1182 , HB1183 , HB1184 , HB1185 , HB1186 , HB1187 , HB1188 , HB1189 , HB1190 , HB1191 , HB1192 , HB1193 , HB1194 , HB1195 , HB1196 , HB1197 , HB1198 , HB1199 , HB1200 , HB1201 , HB1202 , HB1203 , HB1204 , HB1205 , HB1206 , HB1207 , HB1208 , HB1209 , HB1210 , HB1211 , HB1212 , HB1213 , HB1214 , HB1215 , HB1216 , HB1217 , HB1218 , HB1219 , HB1220 , HB1221 , HB1222 , HB1223 , HB1224 , HB1225 , HB1226 , HB1227 , HB1228 , HB1229 , HB1230 , HB1231 , SB1 , SB54 , SB82 , SB87 , SB92 , SB93 , SB99 , SB104 , SB113 , SB114 , SB115 , SB123 , SB129 , SB133 , SB161 , SB162 , SB224 , SB236 , SB275 , SB280 , SB289 , SB305 , SB310 , SB325 , SB330 , SB339 , SB350 , SB359 , SB382 , SB410 , SB412 , HCR10 , HB54 , HB55 , HB67 , HB73 , HB125 , HB133 , HB158 , HB168 , HB169 , HB191 , HB195 , HB205 , HB225 , HB245 , HB280 , HB283 , HB296 , HB319 , HB325 , HB339 , HB399 , HB407 , HB448 , HB482 , HB550 , HB591 , HB821 , HB826 , HB992 , HB995 , HB1085 , HB1086 , HR15 , HR20 , HCR14 , HCR6 , HCR19 , HB861 , HB889 , HB904 , HB907 , HB908 , HB929 , HB1009 , HB13 , HB23 , HB25 , HB32 , HB41 , HB90 , HB120 , HB121 , HB122 , HB127 , HB138 , HB139 , HB141 , HB179 , HB187 , HB213 , HB247 , HB286 , HB332 , HB344 , HB357 , HB367 , HB370 , HB462 , HB505 , HB527 , HB537 , HB605 , HB680 , HB681 , HB725 , HB780 , HB782 , HB847 , HB892 , HB911 , HB916 , HB1012 , HB81 , HB134 , HB154 , HB163 , HB170 , HB194 , HB217 , HB220 , HB254 , HB259 , HB290 , HB308 , HB311 , HB360 , HB382 , HB401 , HB410 , HB417 , HB463 , HB575 , HB592 , HB718 , HB723 , HB750 , HB755 , HB776 , HB812 , HB844 , HB882 , HB888 , HB961 , HB966 , HB980 , HB228 , HB289 , HB735 , HB796 , HB284 , HB301 , HB722 , HB468 , HB546 , HB746 , HB842 , HB923 , HB46 , HB166 , HB349 , HB352 , HB436 , HB588 , HB140 , HB429 , HB827 , HB953 , HB901 , HB9 , HB52 , HB58 , HB193 , HB400 , HB570 , HB577 , HB582 , HB733 , HB747 , HB868 , HB952

Keywords: Tulane University, education, research, economic impact, healthcare, Louisiana, condolences, memorial, community service, faith, legacy, centenarian, tribute, honor, longevity, philanthropy, youth leadership, fundraising, nonprofits, physical therapy

Transcript Highlights:

• activities, licensed child care facilities are required to document disaster plans, conduct disaster drills
• Many of them were renters whose business insurance did not cover the loss of materials or equipment.
• Many of them were renters whose business insurance did not cover the loss of materials or equipment.
• Some providers lost everything from toys and books to cribs and outdoor play equipment and had no financial
• Their children were able to escape, but they lost all of their child care materials and equipment.

Summary: The hearing focused first on how wildfires and other disasters affect child care providers, families, and early education infrastructure. State officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Education described disaster response and preparedness efforts, including shelter coordination, licensing outreach, emergency waivers, distribution of supplies, and the statewide child care disaster plan. Testimony from providers and advocates emphasized major gaps in recovery funding, insurance coverage, rebuilding support, mental health services, and coordination with local rebuild plans. Several witnesses urged more dedicated disaster-recovery funding for child care facilities and suggested statutory changes, including allowing greater flexibility for rebuilding costs and requiring early childhood programs to be included in local disaster planning. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on child care. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said enforcement activity is causing families to keep children home, disrupting continuity of care, reducing enrollment, and creating fear and trauma for children and providers. They argued that immigrant and mixed-status families need clearer protections, privacy safeguards, legal support, trauma-informed guidance, and safe-haven policies for child care settings. Speakers also stressed that the child care workforce is heavily immigrant and that recent state laws such as AB 49 and AB 495 will require funding, training, and technical assistance to implement effectively. Public commenters, including child care providers, described personal experiences with fire damage, displacement, permit delays, lost income, and the emotional toll of serving families during crises. Others described how immigration enforcement has made parents afraid to attend events, drop off children, or remain connected to providers. Committee members repeatedly noted that child care is often overlooked in emergencies and asked state officials how child care systems are being integrated into disaster planning and how local and state agencies can better coordinate. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• activities, licensed child care facilities are required to document disaster plans, conduct disaster drills
• Many of them were renters whose business insurance did not cover the loss of materials or equipment.
• Many of them were renters whose business insurance did not cover the loss of materials or equipment.
• Some of the providers lost everything from toys and books to cribs and outdoor play equipment and had
• Their children were able to escape, but they lost all of their child care materials and equipment.

Summary: The California State Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs held its second hearing focused first on disaster response, especially wildfires and flooding, and how they affect child care infrastructure. State agencies described their disaster preparedness and response work, including evacuation notifications, shelter coordination, emergency guidance, waivers, and support services. The Department of Education said wildfires have displaced tens of thousands of families and impacted thousands of preschool families, and recommended statutory changes to help rebuild programs, require early childhood programs to be included in local recovery plans, expand mental health supports, and review disaster, tax, and insurance policy gaps. Child care advocates and providers described major losses from the L.A. fires and San Diego flooding, including destroyed homes and businesses, lack of insurance, delayed permits, lost income, and the need for emergency grants, relocation help, and better disaster planning for child care programs. Several providers gave personal testimony about rebuilding after fires and floods, including one family child care provider from Pasadena/Altadena whose home and business were destroyed and who is still trying to reopen while paying rent, a mortgage, and permit costs. Another provider described flood damage, health impacts on children, and thousands of dollars in losses. Committee members emphasized that child care is often overlooked in disaster recovery and asked state officials what is being done to integrate child care into emergency planning and to improve coordination among state and local agencies. Officials said the statewide child care disaster plan exists and has been updated over time, but acknowledged more work is needed and that the hearing itself should inform future improvements. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on the child care system. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said immigration raids and enforcement activity are causing families to keep children home, reducing attendance and enrollment, increasing fear and trauma, and destabilizing providers and the broader early learning workforce. They argued that child care settings are trusted spaces and that enforcement undermines continuity of care, child development, and program viability. They urged stronger privacy and safety protections, statewide training and technical assistance, trauma-informed guidance, legal support for families, transportation and subsidy protections, and emergency funding for providers. Speakers also highlighted recently enacted laws AB 49 and AB 495, but stressed that implementation will require funding and clear guidance. Committee members agreed that funding and implementation are critical and heard public testimony from providers describing fear, family separation, and the need to keep child care safe and stable for immigrant families.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lines and associated equipment.
• And of course, providers don't want to put their equipment on a pole that's going to fall down.
• of course, the cheapest and least disruptive means to roll out infrastructure was to attach our equipment
• member-owners, our property owners, with damage to their property, cut fences, entering without permission, drilling
• We also deal with farm equipment. 54% of our load is irrigation still; we're only 19% with irrigated

Bills: HB3445 , HB3448

Committee: House S/C on Telecommunications & Broadband

Keywords: telecommunications, electric cooperative, rights-of-way, infrastructure, provider access, right-of-way, pole attachment, regulatory access

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to just kind of drill down on this specific incident that we're talking about.
• There was also found to be improper use of medical equipment, specifically the AED device.

Summary: The Joint State Agencies committee met to approve the October 8, 2025 minutes and then held an extended hearing on the death of Zachary Moore at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. DHS officials Lori McDonald, Jennifer Brise, and Melissa Weatherton described the HDC system, staffing and resident needs, and said Moore died after being held in a prone restraint for about 13 minutes, followed by a delayed chemical restraint and delayed CPR. They said the family settled a wrongful death claim for $725,000, 13 staff were terminated, the facility leadership was changed, and at least five staff had been criminally charged, with the death certificate later described as homicide and the cause of death as physiologic stress associated with struggle and prone restraint. Members pressed DHS on why the family was not kept informed, whether there was a written restraint protocol, how staff are trained, and why the agency did not have more complete information ready for the hearing. DHS said staff receive CPI restraint training, annual restraint training is mandatory, and a consultant is reviewing policies, retraining staff, and conducting a root cause analysis under a directed plan of correction from the Office of Long-Term Care. Legislators also raised broader concerns about low pay, staffing shortages, use of float and contract staff, and a waiting list of about 2,000 people for home- and community-based care. DHS said it is working on a retention and recruitment plan and a rate report for certain PASS services, but that the PASS rate study does not cover CNA pay. Several members said the incident reflected both a failure of restraint practice and a broader staffing and oversight problem. DHS acknowledged that prone restraint should not have been used, that the chemical restraint was given at the wrong time, and that multiple breakdowns occurred in supervision, communication, and equipment use. The committee also discussed whether there should be more regular independent audits of HDC policies, and DHS said it does not currently have a separate annual policy audit beyond existing oversight. At the end of the meeting, the committee asked DHS to keep it updated on recruitment, consultant reports, and to contact Moore’s mother about the communication she had been promised. The meeting adjourned without any additional formal action beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to just kind of drill down on this specific incident that we're talking about.
• There was also found to be improper use of medical equipment, specifically the AED device. Okay.

Summary: The Joint State Agencies committee met to approve prior minutes and then focused on the death of Zachary Moore at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center, later clarified in discussion as the Warren facility. DHS officials described Moore’s background, said he died after a prolonged prone restraint followed by a delayed chemical restraint, and reported that 13 staff were terminated, the superintendent was replaced, a consultant was brought in, and the agency entered a settlement with the family for $725,000. Members pressed DHS on the cause of death, restraint policies, staff training, supervision, family notification, and why the family had not been kept informed; DHS said a family-notification procedure exists but that communications during litigation had been handled through counsel. The committee also heard that six staff had been criminally charged with manslaughter and neglect of a vulnerable person, and that the death certificate listed the manner of death as homicide with cause of death tied to physiologic stress associated with struggle and prone restraint. DHS officials gave broader context on the five human development centers, their licensing and accreditation, resident population, mortality review process, and training programs. They said the centers serve highly medically and behaviorally complex residents, that annual restraint training and CPI-based instruction are required, and that the mortality review committee and Office of Long-Term Care review deaths and make recommendations. Members repeatedly criticized the agency for not having complete information at the meeting and for what they saw as gaps in oversight, staffing, and chain-of-command clarity during emergencies. DHS responded that the Warren facility had not been meeting the same standards as the others, that the consultant’s root-cause analysis identified multiple failures, and that new crisis-team and chain-of-command procedures were being drafted. A second major topic was staffing and recruitment. Members discussed low pay, turnover, use of float and on-call staff, rural staffing shortages, and a waiting list of about 2,000 people for home- and community-based services. DHS said CNAs at the centers start at about $39,000 a year, that a broader retention and recruitment plan is being drafted for all five centers, and that a separate rate study for PASS services will be implemented in January 2027 but does not cover CNA pay. The meeting ended with testimony from Moore’s mother, Angela Stevens, who said money could not replace her son and urged stronger training, background checks, and supervision so other residents would be protected. The committee asked DHS to keep members and Stevens updated on consultant reports, recruitment efforts, and follow-up on the family communication issue, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to just kind of drill down on this specific incident that we're talking about.
• There was also found to be improper use of medical equipment, specifically the AED device.

Transcript Highlights:

• It equips families by educating students and providing parent-facing resources.
• You know the drill. Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the committee.

Committee: House Children and Families

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families met with a quorum and first took up several bills in executive session. It voted House Bill 1792, the Murphy Media Literacy Program, and House Bill 1770, dealing with time limits on abuse cases, both do pass by unanimous roll call votes. The committee then considered House Bill 2426, Representative Keebley’s parental rights bill. An amendment was adopted to align the bill with a Senate floor substitute, clarify judicial review and compelling government interest standards, update parent/child definitions, add transparency provisions, and revise medical consent language. After extensive discussion about parental consent, minors’ access to STI and substance use treatment, foster parent authority, and potential impacts on abuse situations, the committee voted the House Committee Substitute do pass by a vote of 11 yes, 3 no, and 1 present. The committee then heard House Bill 2418, which would create the Missouri Crime Victims Fund within the Department of Social Services as a framework for future appropriations if federal VOCA funding continues to decline. The sponsor and numerous witnesses from domestic violence shelters, child advocacy centers, CASA programs, and prosecutors described major reductions in VOCA support, staffing losses, service cuts, and the risk of leaving victims without shelter, advocacy, counseling, and court support. No one testified in opposition, and the hearing concluded without a vote. Finally, Representative Schmidt presented House Bill 3077, which would require social media and internet safety curriculum for grades 6 through 12 and provide parent resources. Supporters said the bill would help students recognize grooming, sextortion, misinformation, and other online risks, while some committee members and witnesses raised concerns about adding burdens on schools and suggested the material should be embedded into existing instruction and possibly start earlier. The committee also heard House Bill 1819, “Conrad’s Law,” which would require safe-sleep training and rules for licensed child care facilities for children age one and older, set limits on weighted blankets, and require documented care plans and training for children with special needs. The sponsor and family members said the bill responds to a child’s death and is intended to improve child care safety without adding extra training hours. Both bills were heard in public testimony, and the committee adjourned after the House Bill 1819 hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They all included either mounting into the home brackets or some had where you drilled directly into
• Many tenants cannot afford hundreds of dollars for equipment.

Bills: HB1974 , HB2265 , HB2452

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: land bank, land banking authority, affordable housing, housing crisis, housing supply, public corporation, public housing authority, nonprofit housing, tax-foreclosed property, blight remediation, redevelopment, anti-displacement, equity, redlining, racial segregation, deed restriction, affordability covenant, property tax exemption, excise tax exemption, predevelopment

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's something we can drill in a little bit more, and I don't know if that completely addressed
• If we give parents the power to choose the best school for their child, we must equip them with the necessary

Summary: The committee first heard the Pre-K-12 education budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26 and voted to adopt it as the committee’s recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The proposed $34.7 billion budget includes increases for the FEFP, Family Empowerment Scholarships, VPK, school safety, the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, school hardening, Jewish day school security, and an education enrollment stabilization fund. Members asked no questions on the budget before it was advanced, and staff was authorized to make technical corrections. The committee then passed CS/SB 1402, which expands eligibility for dropout retrieval services to any individual who has withdrawn from high school and clarifies how school grades are calculated for virtual instruction providers that offer only dropout retrieval services. An amendment to clarify the grading calculation was adopted without objection, and the bill was reported favorably after a roll call vote. The committee also took up SPB 7030, a comprehensive scholarship-program bill sponsored by Senator Gates, which would separate Family Empowerment Scholarship funding as its own categorical, expand the education stabilization fund, create fall and spring application windows, require a single scholarship application and more documentation, assign student IDs, change payments to a monthly schedule, require background checks for paid instructional providers, mandate annual FTE audits by the Auditor General, and standardize reimbursement and eligibility procedures. After extensive discussion and public testimony, the bill was adopted as a committee bill and reported favorably, with Senator Osgood voting no. Finally, the committee considered CS/SB 508, which requires private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to disclose in writing what accommodations, modifications, and services they will provide for students with existing plans such as IEPs, 504 plans, or ELL plans. An amendment was adopted to require public schools to consult with private schools about equitable services, and the bill was reported favorably. Public testimony included support from parent-choice advocates and concerns from private-school representatives about administrative burden and the scope of the required disclosures. The meeting concluded after the final roll call votes and adjournment motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 20 different teams and very heavy-duty, expensive equipment ready to deploy at all hours of every
• my community had no notification of the impacts we would experience from the Vista Ridge project, drilling

Bills: HB29 , HB685 , HB1633 , HB1689 , HB1690 , HB1918 , HB2010 , HB2500 , HB2608 , HB2626 , HB29

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• On the economic side, I do want to be able to drill down a couple of things.
• percent higher for home heating fuel, for our maple sugar producers to pay 25 percent more for the equipment

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: nomination, Deputy Secretary of Treasury, economic policy, inflation, tariffs, tribal nations, government relations

Summary: The meeting convened to consider the nomination of Mike Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. During the session, multiple members voiced concerns regarding current economic policies under the Trump administration, particularly around inflation, tariffs, and the impact on small businesses. Discussions frequently centered on the administration's approach to tariffs and taxation, and how these factors contribute to the rising cost of living and potential job losses. Additionally, the importance of bolstering government-to-government relationships with tribal nations was emphasized, highlighting the need for specialized offices focused on tribal affairs within the Treasury Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• Drill. >> Mr.
• </c><00:29:43.120><c> Drill.</c><00:29:44.480><c> So,</c> &gt;&gt; Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr.
• Drill. So, &gt;&gt; Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Drill.
• Um, the Southern Industrial Complex, which hosts Leair, Wami Machinery, cycling drilling, and about two
• ,</c><00:37:50.960><c> and</c> Machinery, uh, cycling drilling, and Machinery, uh, cycling drilling,

Bills: HB0150

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Brassfield, you know the drill.
• You also know the drill. Please state your name for the record and then go ahead. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Gives you the opportunity to ask the next questions, allowing opportunities further to drill down into
• Uh, we're not going to drill down doing a lot of into a lot of minutia, but basic things like design

Transcript Highlights:

• over 29,000 people without homes, and that's what Hawaiian Homeland should be used for, not for drilling
• Is it required to do the initial work, like the slimhole drilling and the various testing?
• There's one in particular that I'm drilling down on: the wildfire education programming priority, as
• down on the Wildfire education drilling down on the Wildfire education programming<02:49:06.640><c>
• On page 3, line 13, the term Fire Protection equipment is not used in the new part, so I think we need

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee heard three House bills related to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. HB 606 would extend the Act 279 special fund to June 30, 2028, continue deposits and appropriations to help eliminate the DHHL waitlist, and require a strategic plan and annual reporting. DHHL strongly supported the measure, saying most of the initial $600 million had been used and that the need remains large, with more than 29,000 people on the waitlist. Public testimony also supported the bill, emphasizing its importance to Native Hawaiian families and concerns about Hawaiians leaving the islands because of housing costs. A member noted the bill is a priority and that the committee will keep working on how to fund another $600 million. HB 1086 would exempt DHHL homestead lot and housing development from general excise and use taxes. DHHL supported the bill, saying any tax savings would reduce the eventual cost of housing for low-income beneficiaries. The Department of Taxation said it could administer the measure and noted it is already being implemented under the governor’s emergency proclamation, with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2026. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered technical comments and urged the committee to weigh existing benefits already received by DHHL beneficiaries. HB 1307 would appropriate funds for DHHL water well development and geothermal exploration on Hawaiian homelands. DHHL said the bill is a follow-up to prior study funding and would support slim-hole drilling, site evaluation, and consultant work to identify viable geothermal resources, especially on Hawaiʻi Island. Several testifiers opposed the bill, arguing there had been inadequate beneficiary consultation, raising environmental, cultural, and safety concerns, and objecting to using $20 million for geothermal rather than housing. In response to committee questions, DHHL staff explained that the goal is to gather information for a future public-private partnership to develop geothermal electricity, and that a Chapter 343 environmental review would be required later in the process. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.