Transcript Highlights:

• UT Dallas stands ready to continue building on these efforts.
• county.
• Harris County—I work with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
• Harris County—I work with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
• I'm the chief medical examiner for Travis County.

Bills: HB 106, HB144, HB145, HB252, HB1732, HB2221, HB2467, HB2468, HB2517, HB2518, HB2963, HB3016, HB3689, HB3960, HB4386, HB4490, HB4751, HB5247, HJR175, HB2213

Keywords: HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund, production safety, leasehold operations, electric utility, distribution poles, inspection

Summary: The committee first handled pending business, including reconsidering SB 715 and then voting out several measures. The committee substitute for SB 1978 was reported favorably, and HB 431, HB 1522, HB 1922, HB 3228, HB 3229, HB 3803, HB 3804, HB 3805, HB 3806, HB 4219, HB 4238, HB 434, HB 1584, and HB 4739 were all reported favorably, many with objections sent to the local and uncontested calendar. HB 1522 and HB 4238 were adopted as committee substitutes before passage. The committee then moved into public testimony on HB 2963, a right-to-repair bill for consumer electronics. Supporters argued it would reduce waste, lower costs, and help independent repair shops by requiring manufacturers to provide parts, tools, and information on fair terms, while opponents said the bill was too broad and the automotive MOU exemption was problematic. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 2467, which would align State Fire Marshal Office investigators’ pay with other commissioned peace officers at TDI; testimony was strongly supportive, emphasizing the office’s arson-investigation role, and the bill was left pending. HB 252, a bill allowing certain state agencies flexibility to pay Schedule A employees twice monthly, was laid out and left pending after limited testimony. HB 2468, dealing with public improvement district notice in real estate transactions, would let buyers terminate within seven days if required PID notice was not provided before contract execution; it drew no public testimony and was left pending. HB 4386, an annuity exchange and surrender process bill, was presented as a consumer-protection measure with deadlines and penalties for insurer delays; it received support from industry witnesses and was left pending. The committee then heard HB 4751, creating the Texas Quantum Initiative within the Governor’s Office to coordinate quantum research, workforce, industry partnerships, and possible future grant funding. Witnesses from universities and industry supported the bill, while several senators questioned whether a new state structure was necessary; the bill was left pending. HJR 175 proposed a constitutional amendment protecting Texans’ right to use mutually agreed forms of exchange, including cash, bullion, digital currency, or private script, and was discussed at length in the context of central bank digital currency and barter; it was left pending after testimony. HB 2221, updating insurance anti-rebating laws to allow wellness and value-added services, drew supportive testimony from the insurance industry and discussion about incentives versus monitoring; it was also left pending. Finally, the committee heard a series of utility wildfire and infrastructure bills: HB 106, requiring oil and gas operators to maintain certain electrical infrastructure near well sites; HB 144, requiring electric utilities to submit pole inspection and management plans to the PUC; and HB 145, requiring wildfire mitigation plans and allowing self-insurance under certain conditions. Utility, insurance, and cooperative witnesses generally supported the wildfire-related bills while asking for clarifications and less burdensome reporting, and the bills were left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• , Caldwell County, Wilson County, and Zapata County to please stand.
• I will tell you that Parker County is not just one of the fastest growing counties in the state, but
• County. In fact, Mr.
• Parker County, the folks.
• Let's talk about Smith County. Do you think Smith County would go through that process?

Bills: SJR57, SCR8, SB8, SB14, SB24, SB108, SB112, SB125, SB213, SB251, SB315, SB318, SB371, SB378, SB379, SB472, SB487, SB502, SB513, SB565, SB621, SB650, SB689, SB707, SB710, SB761, SB763, SB815, SB854, SB875, SB896, SB916, SB925, SB958, SB961, SB965, SB973, SB987, SB990, SB995, SB1006, SB1018, SB1019, SB1024, SB1026, SB1146, SB1194, SB1198, SB1253, SB1330, SB1343, SB1362, SB1379, SB1497, SB1498, SB1527, SB1532, SB1547, SB1596, SJR36, SJR12, SJR57, SCR22, SCR12, SCR8, SB565, SB765, SB62, SB666, SB707, SB888, SB687, SB847, SB1248, SB14, SB1006, SB504, SB925, SB995, SB857, SB305, SB296, SB284, SB815, SB1379, SB1497, SB1499, SB1498, SB241, SB304, SB621, SB1023, SB1024, SB686, SB112, SB371, SB204, SB609, SB670, SB502, SB850, SB854, SB413, SB1362, SB1346, SB1033, SB1220, SB1073, SB810, SB987, SB1539, SB447, SB875, SB406, SB985, SB965, SB1119, SB1505, SB24, SB1194, SB1253, SB1215, SB1532, SB1302, SB856, SB650, SB583, SB673, SB213, SB681, SB1172, SB1252, SB378, SB1343, SB608, SB487, SB955, SB957, SB988, SB990, SB1019, SB1021, SB1120, SB251, SB958, SB761, SB541, SB315, SB379, SB1018, SB1737, SB266, SB1415, SB1527, SB125, SB599, SB1330, SB53, SB916, SB896, SB1352, SB973, SB785, SB710, SB472, SB1450, SB1502, SB1566, SB414, SB1062, SB1547, SB961, SB1038, SB513, SB578, SB711, SB746, SB942, SB1404, SB1448, SB1738, SB108, SB8, SB318, SB507, SB533, SB689, SB1026, SB1349, SB1355, SB1433, SB1434, SB1596, SB1403, SB1198, SB1146, SB763, SB667, SB1059, SB617, SB1567, SB503, SJR37, SB16, SB310, SB311, SB396, SB505, SB1209, SB1210, SB1470, SB264, SB924, SB1029, SB1185, SB1202, SB1358, SB1364, SB1569, SB1697, SB1376, SB1228, SB519, SB878, SB1350, SB462, SB1535, SB827, SB1585, SB207, SB1207, SB1619, SB1396, SB920, SB1484, SB1273, SB1741

Keywords: central bank digital currency, CBDC, Federal Reserve, digital dollar, digital currency, cashless payments, financial privacy, cybersecurity, government surveillance, financial surveillance, money laundering, terrorism financing, illicit finance, banking policy, monetary policy, payments system, commercial banks, Texas Legislature, concurrent resolution, federal reserve digital currency

Transcript Highlights:

• Makes it so that only cities, counties, and economic development corporations are responsible for reporting
• And finally, the Office of Attorney General may bring action of injunctive relief if a city, county,
• There is a hair salon in Dallas that does IV therapy while getting your hair done.
• in the Dallas is what I'm being very significant.
• I've distributed an article from Diana Zoga, the consumer reporter with NBC. 5 up in Dallas-Fort Worth

Bills: SB213, SB378, SB610, SB681, SB918, SB1172, SB1252, SB1343, SCR8

Keywords: SB 213, Texas insurance, Insurance Code, Chapter 551, Chapter 541, bundling, tying arrangement, cross-selling, homeowners insurance, residential property insurance, auto insurance, personal automobile insurance, consumer protection, unfair trade practice, deceptive insurance practice, property and casualty insurer, Lloyd's plan, county mutual, reciprocal exchange, farm mutual

Transcript Highlights:

• As I said, this is the one county... will require a county to provide an easement to protect the state
• Kessler: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Dallas County Hospital District, University
• Kessler: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Dallas County Hospital District, University
• And so we work very closely with counties.
• I know we have an office in Edalgo County, Nueces County, but in Edalgo County, they do a very good job

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Midland County, his home county, is about 55% of the the population of Lubbock County, so just a little
• The first one is the top 32 counties. counties in Texas for severance production.
• Those 32 counties produce 90%.
• Do you have to be a producing county, one of those counties, I'm assuming, in the yellow ones, right,
• TxDOT's take on the county road grant program initially was that all counties in Texas are energy impacted

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Harris County, Dallas County, Tarrant County, Travis County, Bear County, and El Paso County all have
• for partially by the citizens of that county and, and at least in Dallas County, because I came out
• of the Family Court Services office in Dallas County, there's a percentage of the party's income that
• When I worked for Dallas County, I was an employee of Dallas County working for Family Court Services
• county.

Bills: HB116

Keywords: film industry, incentives, economic development, state funding, media production

Transcript Highlights:

• boards of education, boards of county school trustees and offices of county superintendent referred
• the Subcommittee on County and Regional Government.
• of the Subcommittee on County and Regional Government.
• AP 2273 by Bon and relating to delegation of certain authority for the county judge in certain counties
• in Bear County as the Willie Henry Pyro memorial.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I had a very responsible county judge. He evacuated very strategically in his county.
• County judge didn't have any pushback.
• So this amendment will require all county judges, county sheriffs, and mayors of a municipality that
• And in unincorporated areas of the county, the county shall install, maintain, and operate the siren.
• Yes, I believe this is the one that adds Guadalupe County to the list of eligible counties.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, invocation, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then observed a moment of silence after Senator Eckhardt referenced a mass shooting in Austin. The chamber also agreed to postpone reading and referral of bills until later in the day. Early procedural business included a motion not to print Senate Bill 3, which was adopted without objection. Later, Senator Mendez raised a parliamentary inquiry about moving flood relief bills to the top of the calendar, but the presiding officer said the order of business was up to the chair. The main floor action centered on Senate Bill 4, the congressional redistricting bill. Senator King laid out the bill, describing it as the companion to the House version, based on 2020 census data, and arguing it was legal, race-blind, more compact, and likely to elect more Republicans. Senators asked extensive questions about the process, public hearings, and the map’s effects on districts and communities. The Senate voted to suspend the regular order of business and the three-day rule, then passed SB 4 to engrossment and finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 19 yeas and 2 nays. The Senate also took up Senate Bill 6, relating to abortion and civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs. Senator Hughes argued the bill was needed to stop illegal abortion pills being mailed into Texas and harming women and unborn children. The Senate suspended the regular order of business and the three-day rule, passed the bill to engrossment, and then finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 18 yeas, 10 nays, and one present not voting. A lengthy discussion followed on the committee substitute for Senate Bill 14, which would standardize law enforcement personnel and departmental files statewide. Senator King said the bill codifies a TCOLE model policy and limits public access to personnel files to substantiated misconduct, commendations, and evaluations, while keeping other records available through other legal processes. Senators Eckhardt, West, Hinojosa, and others questioned how the bill would affect transparency, meet-and-confer agreements, civilian review boards, and access to unsubstantiated complaints. An amendment by Senator Hinojosa of Dallas to narrow the bill to unfounded complaints failed, and SB 14 was then passed to engrossment on a vote of 18 yeas and 10 nays. The final major item was Senate Bill 1, the natural disaster omnibus bill responding to the July flooding. Senator Perry said the bill addresses camp and RV park safety, evacuation plans, emergency rooftop access, lines of succession for local emergency management, annual drills, volunteer management, drone restrictions over disaster areas, small-business recovery loans, and a statewide data hub for flood and weather monitoring. Senators Menendez, Eckhardt, and Kolkhorst asked about autopsies, volunteer background checks, liability, warning systems, floodplain mitigation, and coordination with FEMA and local governments. Perry said the bill focuses on preparation, response, and recovery, while broader prevention and mitigation issues may be addressed later. The transcript ends during this extended discussion, before final action on SB 1 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And two county commissioners in leadership from Frio County in the gallery to recognize March the 4th
• . 2025 is Frio County Day.
• Members, please join me in recognizing the leadership of Frio County as we celebrate Frio County Day
• Yes, we have Claiborne County Commissioner Chuck Schultz, Claiborne County Commissioner Marcus Salinas
• as the official Viqueira County.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Houston beat Dallas, but I represent in Dallas now, so if I had the Houston and Dallas chapters, will
• That I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of Tarrant County Sheriff of Tarrant County and
• Highway 67 in Dallas and Ellis Counties as the Eddie Bernice Johnson Memorial Highway.
• and concerns county financial authority in relation to sheriffs. and constables in certain counties
• County and Regional Government.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I pay property taxes in Randall County and Travis County.
• Dallas and in Austin, where state, city, local, county taxpayer dollars were used to directly fund The
• , um, I'm assuming Harris County, Bear County, Travis Harris, Harris, did you say Bear?
• Yeah, uh, from my understanding, the counties that have, that have done this. What about Dallas?
• I, I, I don't, I don't know, but I'm guessing it's the largest county, so Dallas, Travis there and uh

Bills: HB 256, HB 1308, HB 1554, HB 1743, HB 2308, HB 2351, HB 2858, HB 3676, HB 3784, HB 4312, HB 4552, HB 4823, HB 4852, HB 5007, HB 5010, HB 5520, HB 5524, HCR 19

Keywords: E-verify, employment verification, illegal employment, state contracts, government entities, license suspension, immigration compliance, state grant funding, E-Verify, compliance, penalties, immigration, government contracts, employee status, state contractors, E-verify program, legally present, employment practices, legal services, public money

Transcript Highlights:

• Midland County, his home county, is about 55% of the population of Lubbock County.
• Those 32 counties produce 90%.
• It is a great investment for those counties which bear a lot of that brunt and as a note, 238 counties
• And so I, my question is, do you have to be a producing county, one of those, uh, counties, I'm assuming
• Texo's take on the county road grant program initially was that all counties in Texas. are energy impacted

Transcript Highlights:

• And every county in Texas has encountered this at times.
• As your El Paso County Attorney, I wear three hats.
• I serve as a civil litigator on behalf of county officials representing the county and of course our
• El Paso County Sheriff's Department.
• minor version of what you see up there in Dallas.

Bills: HB74, HB175

Keywords: environmental project, public money, political subdivision, greenhouse gas emissions, federal law compliance, renewable energy, water conservation, retroactive child support, child conception, paternity, family law, health care expenses

Transcript Highlights:

• Dallas has a hundred.
• Representing, I'm the Sheriff of Calhoun County.
• Ellis County is just south of Dallas County in North Texas. and we have all DJI fleet.
• or counties where the property is located.
• It's happened in Dallas.

Bills: HB17, HB34, HB41, HB 118, HB 119, HB 127, HB 128, HB 129, HB 130, HB132, HB133, HB17, HB41, HB118, HB119, HB127, HB128, HB129, HB130, HB132, HB133

Keywords: foreign ownership, real estate, national security, designated countries, Texas property law, lobbying, foreign adversaries, compensation prohibition, transparency, civil penalties, higher education, foreign adversary, research security, trade secrets, academic partnerships, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Dallas County when they had the tornado, Lee County, all the counties that have that national disaster
• <00:16:31.360> Dallas<00:16:31.759> County<00:16:32.000> when counties in Alabama
• Dallas County when counties in Alabama.
• Dallas County when they<00:16:32.240> had<00:16:32.399> the<00:16:32.560> tornado,
• , Lee County, all they had the tornado, Lee County, all the<00:16:34.560> counties<00:16:34.800

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Brett Ligon and I am the District Attorney of Montgomery County, Texas.
• When you go from Harris County to Mills County, you go from just extremely large with a lot of law enforcement
• I've been with the Harris County for the past 21 years.
• We could post it in Harris County and you still have access to it.
• I know you're very familiar with the argument and in big counties like Harris County, my DAs are saying

Bills: HB 33, HB 45, HB 48, HB 1261, HB 1465, HB 1778, HB 2596, HB 5238, SB 2969

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Brett Ligon, and I am the District Attorney of Montgomery County, Texas.
• When you go from Harris County to Mills County, you go from... just extremely large with a lot of law
• I've been with Harris County for the past 21 years.
• Yes, and in big counties like Harris County, my DAs are saying we want time to make those cases.
• I'm the Criminal District Attorney for Comal County.

Bills: HB33, HB45, HB48, HB1261, HB1465, HB1778, HB2596, HB5238, SB2969, HB45, HB48

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• So, when we were out, say, in Osage County, if something happened, I wanted to make sure that all the
• law enforcement in Osage County came in and knew exactly who was out there.
• This year alone, we've responded to Osage County. We were just recently in Beggs for the tornado.
• was presented, the DPS suggested that it would be a good idea to have where this was going to the counties
• They didn't want to take and necessarily be getting that type of equipment, but they thought counties

Bills: HB1002, HB1250, HB2710, HB3008, HB3045, HB3086, HB3595, HB3678, HB3695, HB3831, HB4107, HB4408

Keywords: stalking, victim notification, law enforcement, harassment, penalties, criminal justice, protection orders, local law enforcement, Public Safety Technology Revolving Fund, grants, state funding, law enforcement technology, alcohol testing, drug influence, public safety, Board of Tests, accident response, motor vehicle, fire department, fee prohibition

Transcript Highlights:

• 23, by deleting the word the and inserting in lieu thereof the following language: 'if the city or county
• Instead of forcing the county or the city to accept responsibility or take over the property, we're just

Bills: SB248, SB985, SB1307, SB1319, SB1405, SB1530, SB1919

Keywords: tourism, revolving fund, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, real property, fund management, Oklahoma Local Food for Schools, school meals, local food procurement, farm to school, school districts, Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, local producers, meat processors, reimbursement program, agriculture, nutrition, farmers, ranchers, local sourcing

Transcript Highlights:

• Arthur, just to refute the previous statement made by our dear friend from Pittsburgh County.
• Representatives from Pittsburgh County, in his defense, I believe he would like to be referred to as
• being from Latimer County.
• Yeah, it's very specific to certain counties, and you're probably not one of those counties.
• But if you can only imagine living in Lafleur County, you're dealing with bears and hogs.

Bills: HB4246, HB4230, HB3617, HB3657, HB2976, HB3391, HB4459, HB4128, HB3989, HB2989, HB4060, HB3145, HB2992, HB3464, HB4246, HB4230, HB3617, HB3657, HB2976, HB3391, HB4459, HB4128, HB3989, HB2989, HB4060, HB3145, HB2992, HB3464

Keywords: water rights, rural water districts, board members, training requirements, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, right to repair, agriculture, OEM, repair providers, documentation, farm equipment, parts availability, maintenance, labor, employment definitions, agricultural services, Oklahoma Workforce Commission, confidentiality, data access, environmental protection