Transcript Highlights:

• And then they'll move into live calls, where they'll be monitored by a supervisor or a person attached

Summary: The Joint Committee on Aging, Children and Youth approved the February 11 minutes and then reviewed a DCFS policy manual update from Director Tiffany Wright. Wright said the changes move internal procedures out of administrative rule into DCFS’s internal procedure manual under an executive order, while also updating terminology, conforming to enacted laws, revising foster family continuing education hours, and removing obsolete requirements. Members asked whether the changes would alter practice; Wright said they were mainly terminology and process-location changes, intended to make the department more efficient and flexible. The committee then accepted the rule review without objection. Wright next presented DCFS quarterly performance data for the third quarter of FY 2026. She reported 8,610 hotline reports accepted, 6,919 assigned to DCFS, 22% of investigations found true, neglect as the most common substantiated allegation, and continued staffing shortages in some counties affecting timeliness. She also reported 3,420 foster care cases, 1,788 in-home cases involving 4,568 children, 72% monthly home-visit compliance, 36% permanency within 12 months, 4.5% re-entry into foster care, and 156 children available for adoption. Members asked about neglect trends, sexual abuse/exploitation data, behavior-related removals, staffing recruitment and retention, training improvements, and whether ACE-style testing should be considered for children; Wright said DCFS is expanding recruitment, retention, and training efforts and was open to further discussion on education-related assessments. The committee also received DCFS’s biannual overturned investigations report, covering July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, which tracks hotline calls, accepted reports, true findings, appeals, and overturned findings by county. A member asked for comparison to the prior year’s report. Major Jeff Drew then presented the Crimes Against Children Division annual report, saying the hotline received 67,987 calls in 2025, 37,986 were accepted for investigation, and CACD handled 6,539 cases with a 28% substantiation rate. Members asked about hotline operator training, qualifications, salary, and whether Arkansas compares with other states; Drew said operators receive a four-week training that includes law, policy, scenarios, recorded calls, live-call monitoring, and evidence-chain/decision-making instruction. Finally, Elizabeth Pooley of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas reported that the statewide network of 29 CACs and 64 multidisciplinary teams served 13,568 children and families in 2025, up about 3,000 from the prior year, and hosted 259 trainings for professionals. She said funding comes from a mix of state, federal, and community sources, with state funding set at roughly $70,000 to $75,000 per center and not based on caseload. Members asked about funding stability and standards of care; Pooley said CACs follow national standards and Arkansas is developing state best practices. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can also go in and apply through the link attached there as far as recruitment and campaign.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• transparency, and guardianship proceedings by specifying documentation guardians of the estate must attach

Bills: SB1960, SB1730, SB766, SB2342, SB2501, SB2903

Keywords: digital rights, replication, Voice likeness, visual likeness, private causes of action, fee structure, online service providers, postmortem rights, self-defense, stand your ground, castle doctrine, use of force, deadly force, civil immunity, civil liability, tort claims, attorney fees, court costs, lost income, Chapter 9 Penal Code

Transcript Highlights:

• If we attach it to the bill, will we get a fiscal note?
• Well, Senator Dziedzic, if we attach it to the bill, we might have to send it to finance, which, uh,
• <02:13:23.160> If<02:13:23.280> we<02:13:23.400> attach<02:13:23.800> it<
• If we attach it to the I don't know.
• Well, Senator Dziedzic, the if we attach Well, Senator Dziedzic, the if we attach it<02:13:29.120

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to own property, and because they have that power to own property, there are certain rights that attach
• have an unlimited right to spend independently in candidate elections, that only has something to attach
• 44.639> that property there are certain rights that property there are certain rights that attach
• to that and you know third attach to that and you know third amendment<00:34:47.599> protections<
• to with a corporation because attach to with a corporation because you've<00:35:03.119> given

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What this would do is, um, take a targeted judge and, h, who has a public score attached to his or her
• ><00:48:25.359> a<00:48:25.680> public<00:48:26.079> score<00:48:26.480> attached
• <00:48:26.880> to and h who has a public score attached to and h who has a public score attached
• I don't, based on what I can read for the paragraph regarding the Department of Justice that was attached
• to the bill it justice that was attached to the bill it looks<04:19:20.000> like<04:19:20.560

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• but<03:52:46.080> has<03:52:46.160> a<03:52:46.319> motor<03:52:46.560> attached
• <03:52:46.880> to<03:52:46.960> it<03:52:47.199> is but has a motor attached
• to it is but has a motor attached to it is literally<03:52:47.760> the<03:52:48.000> explic
• Given the significant financial note attached to this, I still think in the end it would be irresponsible
• to this, I still think in the attached to this, I still think in the end<05:05:12.878> um<05:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their child's card is attached.
• Their child's card<02:53:37.359> is<02:53:37.720> attached.
• By<02:53:39.040> having<02:53:39.920> those<02:53:40.160> type card is attached
• By having those type card is attached.
• their child's record by virtue of being an approved borrower or otherwise having an approval, an attached

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• natural disaster, regardless of their political party or opinions, and we do it without strings attached
• 43.000> strings opinions and we do it without strings opinions and we do it without strings attached
• like we did just in December attached like we did just in December four<00:38:47.480> weeks<00
• There's even talk about attaching disaster aid to an increase in the debt ceiling.
• there's even talk about attaching there's even talk about attaching disaster<07:09:48.520> Aid

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill has an FN attached to it, so it's likely to go to either Ways and Means or Finance, and
• bill the updated fiscal note for this bill the one<00:09:14.240> that's<00:09:14.519> attached
• the<00:09:15.200> bill<00:09:16.200> has<00:09:16.320> a one that's attached
• to the bill has a one that's attached to the bill has a date<00:09:16.839> on<00:09:17.040>
• result and this bill has an FN attached result and this bill has an FN attached to<00:10:42.320>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Your committee of the whole begs leave to report it has had under consideration the following attached
• Your committee of the whole begs leave to report it has had under consideration the following attached
• how we can tell all of these different types of services that individuals receive; there's a code attached
• <04:53:46.040> That's there's a code attached to them.
• That's there's a code attached to them.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received several committee reports. The Finance Committee reported Senate Bills 155, 49, and 116 with amendments and favorable referral to Appropriations, and House Bill 1188 favorably to Appropriations. The Business, Labor, and Technology Committee reported House Bill 1110 with amendments and a favorable recommendation to the Committee of the Whole, placed on the Consent Calendar, and also recommended confirmation of several appointments, including members of the State Plumbing Board, State Electrical Board, and Workers’ Compensation Cost Containment Board. The chamber then proceeded out of order for personal privileges and a resolution honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., including recognition of visiting members and students participating in its Capitol Day. The Senate next took up House Joint Resolution 1027 concerning remembrance of the Holocaust. The resolution emphasized the history of the Holocaust, rising anti-Semitic incidents, the importance of Holocaust and genocide education, and the need to confront hate and otherization. Senators Weissman and Ball spoke in support, stressing the dangers of hateful rhetoric, the need for vigilance and compassion, and the importance of learning from history. HJR 1027 passed unanimously by roll call, 35-0, and the roll call was listed as co-sponsors. Announcements followed recognizing the Sikh community’s Vaisakhi observance and a langar lunch at the Capitol, along with a proclamation for Sikh Awareness Appreciation Month. There were also notices about a Republican caucus, a Legal Services Committee meeting on Senate Bill 2683 and a litigation update, and a brief personal privilege remark about tax day and agriculture. The Senate then recessed until 10:30 a.m., later raised the call, and moved into special orders for second reading of a large group of House bills on the Consent Calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to Article 56, with recommendation of amendments specified by her in Attachment C of House No

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House first took up several procedural orders extending reporting deadlines for the Committees on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity; Health Care Financing; and Public Health. All three orders were adopted after suspension of the rules. The chamber also concurred in Senate petitions referred under Joint Rule 12, including proposals on cosmetology license reciprocity, judicial and clerical matters, retirement pension notarizations, and automated curb enforcement. The House then suspended Joint Rule 12 for additional petitions on Medicaid coverage for autism treatment and assistive technologies and on a gubernatorial proclamation for Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The House passed to be enacted two local bills: House 2320, establishing an appointed treasurer-collector in Berkeley, and House 4136, further regulating stabilization funds in Leicester. It also ordered several bills to a third reading, including measures on employment discrimination based on legal cannabis use, the role of the governor’s council on the ballot, absentee voting, ballot uniformity and election ballots, changing Chicopee’s mayoral term from two years to four, and regulating employer use of credit reports. Later, the House accepted and adopted a gubernatorial amendment to the FY2026 appropriations bill related to vital statistics. The bulk of the session focused on FY2026 budget veto overrides. The House considered and approved multiple Ways and Means recommendations to let appropriations stand notwithstanding the Governor’s vetoes, including items for administrative staff in the trial courts, state parks and recreation, nursing facility rate add-ons, community services for the blind, substance addiction services, early intervention services, Korea Technical Institutes, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership, shelter workforce assistance, housing services and counseling, regional economic development grants, charter school reimbursement, and the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine program. Roll call votes on these items generally passed by wide margins. The House also observed moments of silence for Bolton Police Chief Amos Luke Hamburger and former Senator Edward J. Kennedy Jr., and then adopted an order to adjourn to meet the next day at 11 a.m. before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then they'll move into live calls, where they'll be monitored by a supervisor or a person attached to

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Aging, Children and Youth approved the minutes from the February 11 meeting and then reviewed a DCFS policy manual update presented by Director Tiffany Wright. The rule changes moved internal procedures out of administrative rule and into DCFS’s internal procedure manual under an executive order, while also updating terminology, aligning language with recent laws, revising foster family continuing education requirements, and removing obsolete requirements. Committee members asked whether the changes altered practice or mainly changed wording; Wright said the updates were largely terminology and organizational changes, not substantive shifts in procedure. The committee then reviewed the rule without objection. Wright next presented DCFS quarterly and biannual reports. She reported third-quarter child welfare data including hotline reports, investigations, true findings, maltreatment recurrence, foster care entries and exits, placement with relatives, permanency rates, adoptions, and caseload totals. Members asked about neglect causes, sexual abuse categories, behavioral issues leading to foster care, staffing shortages, recruitment and retention efforts, training improvements, and whether ACE testing should be incorporated for children; Wright said DCFS uses PACE evaluations rather than ACE testing and was open to further discussion. She also presented the overturned investigations report, which tracks hotline calls, accepted reports, true findings, appeals, and reversals by county for July 2024 through June 2025. Major Jeff Drew of the Crimes Against Children Division then gave the annual hotline and investigation report. He said hotline calls increased in 2025, as did reports accepted for investigation, and that CACD investigations resulted in a 28% substantiation rate. Committee members asked about hotline operator training, hiring requirements, customer service experience, evidence handling, decision-making training, and starting salary; Drew said operators receive four weeks of training and start at $43,088 plus benefits. Elizabeth Pooley of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas reported that the statewide network of 29 centers and 64 multidisciplinary teams provided 259 trainings and served 13,568 children and families in 2025, an increase from the prior year. She said funding comes from state, federal, and community sources, with state funding set at roughly $70,000 to $75,000 per center, and noted work is underway on state best practices. The meeting ended after a brief public comment about Meals on Wheels and a Project Zero event announcement, with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm reading it correctly on page three at the very top that this is going to there's even a fine attached

Bills: SB1220, SB1221, SB1239, SB1309, SB1349, SB1434, SB1516, SB1531, SB1538, SB1861

Keywords: memorial designation, interchange, Terry Walker, transportation, Oklahoma, driver license, tracking system, expedited delivery, Service Oklahoma, REAL ID, public safety, apportionment, state revenue, funding, vehicle registration, infrastructure, state roads, bridges, economic development, highway construction

Transcript Highlights:

• It's on, it's attached to the bill now with 640 annual reoccurring revenue.

Bills: HB3725, HB3260, HB3660, HB3369, HB3370

Keywords: labor, e-verification, immigration, employers, employment eligibility, Department of Labor, penalties, funeral licensing, continuing education, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, professional development, licensing requirements, HB3660, natural organic reduction, human composting, soil reduction, green burial, funeral services, cremation, burial permit

Transcript Highlights:

• transparency and guardianship proceedings by specifying documentation guardians of the state must attach

Transcript Highlights:

• Attached to my testimony, this on page 2, shows you the more than 300,000 domestic and livestock wells

Bills: HB2018, HB1633, HB1689, SB612, SB3058

Keywords: agricultural conservation, land preservation, environmental protection, wildlife habitat, Texas Farm and Ranch, groundwater conservation district, Texas Water Code, water permit, permit amendment, groundwater permit, water rights, aquifer, well registration, exempt wells, beneficial use, water conservation, groundwater quality, well plugging, Hill Country Priority Groundwater Management Area, surface water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• You did not consider the revenue side of severance taxes that is attached to that barrel production to

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 1574 by Senator Zaffirini, which would codify the Texas Judicial Council’s Centers of Excellence Program for courts and judges. Testimony from judges and the Office of Court Administration emphasized that the program promotes transparency, procedural fairness, mentoring, and public trust. A committee substitute expanded eligibility to justices of the peace and municipal judges and removed a merit-pay reference to eliminate fiscal impact. After quorum was established, the committee adopted the substitute and later voted it out favorably, though it was not certified for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also heard SB 2774 by Senator Hinojosa, which would amend the Tax Code’s retail trade definition to include industrial uniform and linen rental businesses so they qualify for the lower franchise tax rate. Supporters said the change would put rental textile businesses on equal footing with other rental industries and help Texas employers and customers. The bill was reported favorably to the full Senate. Members then considered SB 1211 by Senator Perry, which would broaden the existing fracking-related sales tax exemption for equipment used with non-fresh water sources, including recycled, produced, and brine water. The bill’s supporters argued it would conserve freshwater and reduce litigation over water definitions, while the Comptroller’s office discussed the fiscal note and production-related revenue effects. The committee also heard SB 2873 and SB 2900, both by Senator Kolkhorst and presented by Senator Nichols; SB 2873 would require electronic filers to file electronically, and SB 2900 would eliminate certain Comptroller-related advisory committees and boards. Both were later adopted in committee substitute form and reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard HJR 4, sponsored by Senator Parker, proposing a constitutional amendment to prohibit new taxes on securities transfers or financial transaction processing. Supporters said it would protect investors, especially retirees, and help position Texas as a financial center. The committee voted to report HJR 4 favorably to the full Senate. In each recorded vote after quorum was present, the measures passed with nine ayes and no nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's Medicaid dollars attached to it, you would need to be able to be available to.

Transcript Highlights:

• seem to understand, with whatever changes we make... ...understand that whatever weighting would be attached

Keywords: 1136, house, all