Transcript Highlights:

• reduction may already occur on private land with the consent of the property owner.
• House Bill 2239 permits the establishment of an area of private land as a family burial ground.
• All right, well, good morning, Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• We have all the development rights. Yes. We're at the foothills of the mountains.
• I’m not sure of the exact process of how that would work out. All right.

Bills: HB2239 , HB2304 , HB2095 , HB2248

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: interment, location choices, remains, Washingtonians, funeral services, condominium, housing, warranty, property rights, construction, public safety, vulnerable users, pedestrians, protected classes, transportation, corporate filings, secretary of state, business entity filings, annual reports, foreign corporation

Transcript Highlights:

• There should be some way of finding restitution. This is not the right way.
• This state is already asking much of our electric utilities and their customers right now in terms of
• Unfortunately, all of us watch the news, and right now I don't think any of us would characterize our
• We’re one of Washington’s largest and oldest private forest landowners and a member of WFPA with Matt
• All right, seeing none, we are going to recess for the purpose of caucus.

Bills: HB2275 , HB2238

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: wildfire prevention, Washington wildfire council, fire safety, environmental protection, state regulations, HB 2238, HB2238, statewide food security, food security strategy, hunger, food insecurity, food access, food assistance, anti-hunger, nutrition education, food system literacy, agricultural viability, supply chain resilience, Washington Department of Agriculture, food policy forum

Transcript Highlights:

• All right. Take care of it. All right. All right.
• So the Secretary of State would know if there's a cure period, a time to cure? Yes, right, right.
• a couple of cycles to make sure things are right, is based... ...kind of like taking over the election
• From the Secretary of State? Right, right. And, you know, I think a lot of the bills I've...
• From the Secretary of State. Right, right.

Bills: HB311 , SB447 , SB505 , SB2217 , SB2753 , HB311

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: voter registration, electronic, Texas election law, Signature verification, DPS, internet application, Texas Election Code, signature verification, online application, data security, electronic application, Department of Public Safety, information security, electronic voter registration, voting technology, voter access, state election laws, digital signature, election irregularities, audit

Summary: The committee heard several election-related bills. SB 447 would let the City of Mission in Hidalgo County permanently move its municipal elections from May to the uniform November election date if it chooses. The bill was described as permissive and intended to increase turnout and reduce costs. Mission’s mayor testified in support, saying voters had already approved the change by a wide margin in a charter amendment election. The bill was left pending after no objection. SB 2217 focused on standardizing election data reporting and reconciliation across counties to improve transparency and comparability. Testimony was generally supportive of the goal, but Dr. Laura Presley and others flagged technical issues, including a discrepancy between a three-ballot mismatch threshold in existing law and a 1% threshold in part of the bill, plus a definition issue involving central accumulators. Supporters said consistent auditing and reconciliation would help election integrity, while the bill was also left pending. The committee then took up SB 2753, a major proposal to create a continuous in-person voting period that would combine early voting and Election Day into one uninterrupted process, with precinct consolidation and other changes. Supporters said it could simplify administration, reduce equipment changes, and improve security by using one set of machines. Opponents and neutral witnesses raised concerns about cost, staffing, ballot security, reporting changes, weekend voting, and whether the bill was ready for implementation; several urged a pilot or study instead. The committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. SB 505 would create a process for election workers, candidates, party officials, and measure proponents or opponents to request explanations of election irregularities, with escalation to the Secretary of State for audit or enforcement if responses were unsatisfactory. Supporters said it would provide a way to resolve irregularities and restore confidence, while opponents argued it was too broad, lacked guardrails against abuse, and could be used by partisan actors to pressure counties. The bill was left pending. Finally, HB 311 would expand Texas’s online voter registration system to first-time registrants and others, with supporters citing efficiency, lower costs, and broader access, and opponents raising concerns about signature verification and implementation details. Testimony was cut short because of the session deadline, and the bill had not been disposed of in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, go ahead.
• Now, on top of that, you want to rob me of my inheritance for the benefit of this. Thank you, sir.
• All right.
• right to enter the property in the first place and have no right to remain.
• The termination of the right of occupancy, you would have the right to pay that and stay in the property

Bills: SB1015 , SB2933

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: statutory probate courts, probate court fees, judicial fund, county reimbursement, comptroller, Texas Government Code, Local Government Code, court fees, fee allocation, excess contributions, judicial education and support fund, presiding judge salary, county finance, court administration, Texas judiciary, revenue distribution, SB 2933, elder abuse, neglect, judicial training

Summary: The Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence heard testimony on Senate Bill 1015, which would clarify that the comptroller is responsible for distributing excess judicial fund payments back to statutory probate courts. Judge Guy Herman testified in support, saying the bill would help ensure probate courts receive funding they are entitled to, while Ed Heimlich testified against the bill with broad criticism of probate courts and judicial practices. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2933, which would add elder abuse training to required judicial education for several categories of judges and judicial officers; Dr. Bruce Hargrave supported the bill, citing the prevalence and underreporting of elder abuse and the need for judges to recognize warning signs. No votes were taken on either of those bills, and SB 2933 was left pending. The committee then reconsidered Senate Bill 38, an eviction-related bill, and Vice Chair Hayes described two agreed floor amendments: one limiting the summary disposition procedure to forcible entry and detainer cases involving squatters, and another requiring a notice to pay rent or vacate for tenants who had been timely payers but missed a payment. After discussion, the committee voted 6-4 to report SB 38 without amendments. The committee also adopted or advanced a series of other bills and resolutions, including SB 293, SB 1141, SB 1448, SB 1536, SB 1558, SB 1838, SB 1940, SB 2127, SB 53, SB 251, SB 311, SB 387, SB 441 (with a substitute), SB 1164, SB 1335, SB 1574 (with a substitute), SB 1719, SB 1760, SB 1839, SB 1923 (with a substitute), SB 2807, and SJR 27 (with a substitute). Most measures were reported favorably on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with a few close votes on SB 942, SB 311, SB 2807, and SJR 27. SB 942, relating to retroactive child support beginning at conception, initially failed 5-5 but was reconsidered and then passed 6-5. The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The economics of it and the rising cost of health care for them is a major problem and takes a lot of
• This just has to do with the filing, the reporting of it in lieu of an audit of any kind, just to report
• of Insurance.
• Let's make sure I've got about five copies of everything. Let's make sure I've got the right one.
• All right. Uh, don't talk yourself out of it. I hear you. Yes, sir.

Bills: HB506 , HB513 , HB437

Committee: House Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: emergency vehicles, off-road vehicles, public safety, liability, regulations, background check, criminal history, biometric identifiers, fingerprints, iris scan, palm print, photograph, rap back, NGI Rap Back, ALEA, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, AJIC, Alabama Justice Information Commission, employment screening, licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• The abandonment of a dog or cat is included in the definition of cruelty.
• We are pulling abandonment out of the cruelty definition, specifically defining abandonment of a dog
• Right now, it's a cruelty abandon, not a current crime.
• Now, if that dog died because of your actions, they could upgrade or... Thank you.
• I mean, how do we enforce this kind of stuff? You see a lot of stray animals loose.

Bills: SB64 , HB249

Committee: House Agriculture and Forestry

Keywords: SB64, Alabama, state waters, public waters, aquatic plants, aquatic vegetation, lake management, waterway maintenance, environmental regulation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, commercial contractors, vegetation removal, mowing aquatic plants, uprooting plants, Class C misdemeanor, fine, water quality, invasive species, lakes

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's change the name of the state of Alabama."
• of the widening and deepening of the channel.
• of the... some of that pressure off of the interstate system, right?
• think it was, there's been over $3 billion of investment right around this facility, whether it's for
• Yes, oh, it's right there. I mean, we're right in the flight path of one of the...

Bills: HB1 , HB247 , HB1

Committee: House Ports, Waterways & Intermodal Transit

Keywords: DUI, driving under the influence, ignition interlock, interlock device, driver license suspension, restricted license, motor vehicle, alcohol offense, first offense, repeat offender, blood alcohol concentration, BAC, license revocation, Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, ALEA, public safety, traffic safety, chemical dependency, substance abuse, court referral program

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, we don't have your bill in front of us right now.
• But what it would let is we have about, um, used to have that data right in front of me, but about 10
• You need to do a really of us right now.
• right in front of used to have that data right in front of me,<00:05:03.680><c> but</c><00:05:04.000
• right here.

Bills: HB8 , HB380 , HB8 , HB380

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: tobacco regulation, vaping, sales restrictions, youth protection, tobacco compliance, public health, education programs, electronic nicotine delivery systems, human cloning, criminal penalties, embryo, genetic modification, bioethics, campus chaplain, chaplain, school chaplain, volunteer, public K-12 schools, public schools, public charter schools

Transcript Highlights:

• The job of the task force will be to review the efficiency, effectiveness, and necessity of all state
• The Secretary of State is fully in favor of this and thinks that they can accomplish this without major
• Last year, we had some of that going on in the State Department of Education.
• And that was something that Matter of Fra, I think, a member of this committee, who ran that legislation
• All right, follow up, Senator.

Bills: HJR1032 , SB1273 , SB1433

Committee: Senate Administrative Rules

Keywords: HJR1032, House Joint Resolution 1032, Service Oklahoma, administrative rules, rule repeal, joint resolution, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 670:15-1-10, OAC 670:15-1-14, agency regulation, legislative oversight, Secretary of State, Oklahoma Register, rulemaking, permanent rules, administrative code, state government, task force, agency review, board review

Transcript Highlights:

• Keep us in the center of your will in the best interest of the people of the state of Alabama.
• Of the people of the state of Alabama. I pray this in Christ's name. Amen. All right.
• given to proponents and opponents of parole leave of an inmate to authorize non- Leave of an inmate
• So we have heard of incidents.
• , right?

Bills: HB397 , HB523 , HB397

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Keywords: real estate, disclosures, equitable interest, disciplinary actions, Alabama Real Estate Commission, parole procedures, advocacy, parole board, victim representation, inmate rights, HB397, homestead exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax, tax relief, senior exemption, elderly homeowners, retiree exemption, disability exemption, blind exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Floyd, president of the University of South Alabama. He's interning for our committee.
• the right decisions.
• Or are you not aware of the first amendment? Yeah, I want to make sure we get it right.
• Yeah, I want to get it right.
• And I see you're right. I think everybody's right.

Bills: HB473 , HB397 , HB397

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Keywords: water recreation, public access, water bodies, recreational use, water commissions, real estate, disclosures, equitable interest, disciplinary actions, Alabama Real Estate Commission, HB397, homestead exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax, tax relief, senior exemption, elderly homeowners, retiree exemption, disability exemption, blind exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• we want to be in control of all the parts of the process, right?
• And so, of course, this happens on a holiday weekend, right?
• Commission Shift Action is the advocacy partner of Commission Shift Action, which mobilizes the public
• , taking out hidden costs in terms of affordability, right?
• We think it is the right thing to do, and we are very much in support of it.

Bills: HB2766 , HB2891 , HB3334 , HB3791 , HB3911 , HB4021 , HB4041 , HB4042 , HB4384 , HB4426

Committee: House Energy Resources

Keywords: inactive wells, oil and gas regulation, environmental protection, Railroad Commission of Texas, well plugging, Railroad Commission, penalties, violations, pipeline safety, civil penalties, criminal penalties, wildfire prevention, oil and gas, safety inspections, administrative penalties, excavation, notification, utilities, underground facilities, regulatory compliance

Bills: SB243 , HB338 , SB265 , SB233 , HB302

Committee: Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

Keywords: Jefferson County, pistol permit, gun permit, firearm license, concealed carry, carry permit, sheriff, permit fee, local bill, county revenue, school funding, school security, retirement system, Sheriff's Fund, legislative delegation office fund, Gardendale, Birmingham, firearms regulation, Second Amendment, local government finance

Transcript Highlights:

• of Public Safety, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas, and the Texas Department of Transportation
• We show you registered as Alan Craddick on behalf of the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers
• Unfortunately, the rigors of the end of session and the importance of House Bill 471's passage prevented
• It would consist of approximately 17 members of both the public and private sector.
• And so this bill allows that continued maintenance, the acquisition, software, hardware, right, all of

Bills: HB322 , HB331 , HB673 , HB 1147 , HB 1154 , HB2488

Committee: House S/C on Workforce

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, first responders, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, benefits, compensation, presumption of disability, emergency services, healthcare, Medicaid, mental health, substance abuse, treatment access, cost, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• Timing of it, they might be planning on running for reelection, and then all of a sudden a vacancy is
• If something happened with the most likely vacancy, of course, any of us could die at any minute, and
• Do one of y'all want to come up and give a highlight of what it is? Whichever...
• The project of music albums means we have a lot—of course, in North Alabama, there's a good portion of
• Two million of that 30 million...

Bills: SB45 , SB73 , SB169 , HB243 , SB177

Committee: Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

Keywords: driver licenses, validation, identity, state laws, regulations, K-12 education, athletic associations, student-athlete eligibility, Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, governance, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, motor vehicle crimes, restitution, law enforcement, HB243, Devinee Rooney and John Wesley Safe Streets Act, DUI, drunk driving, impaired driving

Bills: HB145 , HB279 , HB292 , SB35 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM32 , HM51 , HM1 , HM39 , HM29 , HM43 , HM30 , HM52 , HM64 , HM65 , HM66 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HM17 , HM46 , HM13 , HM20 , HM54 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM59 , HM2 , HM16 , HM47 , HM53

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, healthcare privacy, electronic medical records, reproductive health, gender-affirming care, data protection, location tracking, confidentiality, sexual abuse, prison safety, correctional facilities, inmate rights, investigation procedures, judgeship, judiciary, court system

Transcript Highlights:

• If not by the grace of God and my mother's heroic actions that night, I would not even be standing in
• Naming a portion of State Highway 345, a highway that runs right through the heart of the city of San
• Designating this stretch of Highway 67, right through the heart of the district she faithfully represented
• Chairman and members of the committee. I reserve my right to close. Are there any questions?
• We know this, and it will stand as a symbol of how heartbreak turned into action.

Bills: HCR114 , HB137 , HB283 , HB1398 , HB1960 , HB2153 , HB2431 , HB2638 , HB2699 , HB2999 , HB3208 , HB3389 , HB3413 , HB3510 , HB3642 , HB3859 , HB3974 , HB3986 , HB4142 , HB4173 , HB4174 , HB4542 , HB4605 , HB4663 , HB4731 , HB5064 , HB5216 , HB5218 , HB5332 , HB5453 , HB5577 , HB137 , HB283

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: memorial, pedestrian bridge, Houston, Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, city council, oversize vehicles, transportation permits, Hidalgo County, port authority, highway routes, healthcare, insurance, mental health, treatment access, state funding, transportation, axle weight, aggregates, regulations, Texas law

Transcript Highlights:

• What you do is that sheet of paper I gave you? Oh, right here. Quorum is present.
• I am in favor of this bill. All right, thank you.
• All right, so that designation included some bilingual street signs that the City of Dallas did.
• All right, so just as a note to that, for a little bit of information, my understanding is that a lot
• And then, of course, the private sector businesses have to survive, and they have to produce.

Bills: HB137 , HB283 , HCR114 , HB137 , HB283 , HB1398 , HB1960 , HB2153 , HB2431 , HB2638 , HB2699 , HB2999 , HB3208 , HB3389 , HB3413 , HB3510 , HB3642 , HB3859 , HB3974 , HB3986 , HB4142 , HB4173 , HB4174 , HB4542 , HB4605 , HB4663 , HB4731 , HB5064 , HB5216 , HB5218 , HB5332 , HB5453 , HB5577

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: state budget, fiscal biennium, budget repeal, financial management, state funding, Medicaid, healthcare access, Affordable Care Act, federal funding, low-income individuals, insurance coverage, memorial, pedestrian bridge, Houston, Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, city council, oversize vehicles, transportation permits, Hidalgo County, port authority

Transcript Highlights:

• That's right. Many of them do. Mm-hmm. Thank you. Thank you. Any more questions for this panel?
• All right. Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the committee.
• All right, so we're going to take a brief recess for purposes of caucus.
• this bill is doing is removing some of those. ...in terms of exposure.
• All right. I was getting ahead of myself. All right. So we voted on the proposed substitute.

Bills: SB6290 , SB6282 , SB5379 , SB6197 , SB6158 , SB6302 , SB5882 , SB6303 , SB6180 , SB6195 , SB6196 , SB6204 , SB6287

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: liquor regulation, cannabis board, reorganization, state agency, governance, apprenticeship, behavioral health, construction trades, workforce training, wellness, interest arbitration, parks and recreation, public employees, labor relations, employee rights, SB 6197, plumbing contractor, plumber, contractor licensing, licensing enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• I do believe that at the end of the day, right now what's happening is when you have these larger water
• So we respect the right of OCL customers to utilize the rate of appeal process at the PUC.
• So there's absolutely the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter than we can imagine right now.
• We have a resolution of support from Kendall County, and this will ensure that private landowners who
• the ownership rights of the Woodlawn Water Supply Corporation to the Chairman: Angelina and Neches River

Bills: HB3115 , HB5671 , HB5693 , SB790 , SB1055 , SB1302 , SB1504 , SB1625 , SB1663 , SB2692

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater, water wells, domestic well, livestock well, exempt well, metering device, well meter, groundwater conservation district, Special District Local Laws Code, Water Code, Section 36.117, groundwater regulation, water rights, aquifer management, municipal utility, retail public utility, groundwater export, water supply contract, election

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on a series of water, utility, and groundwater-related bills. Early items included HB 5693, which would let Drainage District 7 hold board elections in November of odd-numbered years when a countywide election is occurring, and HB 5671, which would update the Johnson County Special Utility District by clarifying board eligibility, allowing bond issuance, and removing redundant TCEQ approval language to reduce costs and delays. Both bills were left pending after brief testimony from bill sponsors and local witnesses. The committee also heard SB 1504, which would update the Gulf Coast Authority to allow video-conference participation in meetings, and SB 1302, aimed at closing a TCEQ permitting loophole that allowed dischargers with prior denials or suspensions to reapply through an automated process without meaningful review. SB 2692 drew substantial discussion: it would change the signature threshold for outside-city-limits customers appealing municipal utility rates to the PUC by customer class. Valero supported the bill as a way to avoid requiring large-volume users to gather signatures from unrelated residential customers, while the City of Corpus Christi opposed it, arguing that lowering the threshold to one customer could trigger expensive appeals costing $500,000 to $1 million. A PUC witness said such cases are increasing and that the agency would need additional staff under the fiscal note. SB 790, creating a simplified PUC complaint process for small water and wastewater billing disputes, and SB 1663, expanding TCEQ notice requirements for nearby residents when groundwater contamination is discovered, were also heard and left pending. Additional bills included HB 3115, clarifying that the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District cannot require meters on exempt domestic or livestock wells; SB 1055, raising the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District’s production fee cap from 1 cent to 7 cents per 1,000 gallons; and SB 1625, requiring private water and wastewater utilities to report cybersecurity incidents to TCEQ and DIR. The committee then took up pending business and adopted a substitute for SB 7, which made several changes to water fund use, eminent domain coordination, and EDAP-related provisions, and voted 10-0 to report it favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2347, a county water conservation program bill, and reported it favorably 9-1. HB 5675 and SB 2476 were each reported favorably 10-0. The meeting concluded with adjournment.