Transcript Highlights:

• The salaries of some of the fine folks behind me from TASB, TASA, AFT, and AFT are all funded at least
• adds up quickly if there are tons and tons and tons of incidents, and there are.
• we attract more corporate relocations and business expansions than any other state.
• And so that's what you'll see in states like Alaska and Nebraska and Maine.
• It would make our schools less attractive to top students and faculty and would, in fact, drive talented

Bills: HB4 , HB20

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and fully fund the government shutdown, and fully fund the following<00:13:54.160><c> departments</
• > to their federal funding and to try to to their federal funding and to try to hold<00:39:44.800><c>
• And I'm pay payment and funds to them.
• ><03:14:23.359><c> sustaining</c> funding 17 new ships, and sustaining funding 17 new ships, and sustaining
• </c><04:40:11.040><c> and</c> ago, I was part of a talented and ago, I was part of a talented and diverse

Bills: HB7194 , HB3377 , HB7211 , HB7148 , HR1032

Keywords: Medal of Honor, valor, Army, Nicholas Dockery, military service, James Capers Jr., Vietnam War, acts of valor, military recognition, military valor, John W. Ripley, Marine Corps, appropriations, omnibus, consolidated appropriations, fiscal year 2026, FY2026, federal spending, budget bill, defense appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• And you're going to need to fund it. every dime of it because our children deserve that.
• Close these loopholes and fund TEA to do the investigations needed to keep these predators out of all
• And the danger in the co-ops and the danger in the private schools as there's no state funding.
• that student and funded us.
• I get all that and that's laudable. The question is in terms of having to relocate services.

Bills: SB604 , SB843 , SB1636 , SB2395 , SB571 , SB1224 , SB1832 , SB2392 , SB747 , SB2623 , SB2624 , SB2185

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• The program will provide dedicated funding for sheriff's offices and municipalities.
• a safe work environment also attracts and retains skilled professionals.
• It also codifies the center in statute and will bolster its ability to attract top-tier talent in election
• It also codifies the center in statute and will bolster its ability to attract top-tier talent in election
• It's the nexus and the connective tissue between taxpayer-funded programs and religion.”

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer by Rabbi Moshe Umatz, the Pledge of Allegiance led by pages, and several introductions and recognitions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and a moment of silence for Pope Francis. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar after a motion to reconsider SB 1080, which was temporarily postponed. Several bills were also set aside during the day, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, and school social workers. The Senate passed a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate bills. These included funding for expedited DNA testing grants for local law enforcement (SB 1072/HB 847), additional aggravating factors in capital cases involving religious, school, or government gatherings (SB 984/HB 693), fertility preservation coverage for cancer patients (SB 924/HB 677), commuter rail indemnification for Miami-Dade and Broward counties (SB 916/HB 867), restrictions on disposing of migrant vessels in Florida waters (SB 830), specialty license plates including Miami Northwestern and several colleges and institutions (SB 824), an Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness campaign (SB 398), relocation of the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University (SB 364), charter school changes allowing parent conversion and municipal job-engine charter schools (SB 140), sex offender registration reporting changes (SB 1654/HB 1351), penalties for assaulting utility workers (SB 1386), juvenile justice revisions and truancy process updates (SB 1344), reporting of student mental health outcomes (SB 1310/HB 969), foster home license transfer simplification (SB 1174/HB 989), water access facility funding and boating industry incentives (SB 1162/HB 735), Florida Virtual School operational changes (SB 1122), school readiness program support for children with disabilities (SB 1102), sexual image offenses involving minors (SB 1180/HB 757), age-related defenses in child sex offense cases (SB 1136/HB 777), tampering with electronic monitoring devices (SB 1054/HB 437), certified recovery residences and local zoning accommodations (SB 954), and the FSU Election Law Center (SB 892). Most of these bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though SB 984 and SB 140 drew some opposition. One of the most extensive debates centered on SB 820, codifying the Office of Faith and Community. Senator Polsky offered an amendment to bar political activity by office staff, citing emails and campaign-related communications tied to Amendment 4; the amendment failed on a 13-23 vote. Senators then debated the bill’s relationship to state election law, free speech, and the role of faith-based outreach. Supporters emphasized the office’s service network and reported benefits to children and families, while some senators raised concerns about interfaith representation and political use of government resources. The bill was then read a third time and the Senate proceeded toward a final vote as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'll point to the Primary Care Capital Fund and the Child Care Facilities Revolving Fund.
• and funds.
• Primary Care Capital Fund, and our Child Care Facility Revolving Fund.
• The act creates two particular funds: the Opportunity Revolving Fund and the Housing Revolving Fund.
• Both programs are designed to attract businesses and spread out the funding throughout the state of New

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• schools and school funding and the FEPP is that we provide $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships
• and colleges to fund the creation or expansion of career and technical education programs.
• And so we have funded, uh, We've made historic funding in our state parks.
• and universities, and so I wanted to know if this budget provides some funding.
• On housing, we're fully funding the sale and ship program.

Transcript Highlights:

• School funding and the FEFP is that we provide $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships,
• Schools and colleges to fund the creation or expansion of career and technical education programs. $28.5
• the trust fund was established to direct settlement funds from opioid manufacturers and distributors
• Second is that we've made historic funding in our state parks, and so we have funded...
• On housing, we're fully funding the sale and ship program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Student leaders Faith Madison and Alina Falante Mao, and their educators Deborah Alipio and Christina
• Um, affordable teacher housing, funding high-quality Hawaiian history, language, and cultural education
• , funding programs for our vulnerable and underserved populations, including those in special ed and
• , and cultural history, language, and cultural education,<00:17:17.919><c> funding</c><00:17:18.319><
• education, funding programs for our vulnerable<00:17:19.520><c> and</c><00:17:19.760><c> underserved

Bills: HB2118 , HB1764 , HB1815 , HB2117 , HB2436 , HB2438 , HB2532 , HB2566 , HB2573 , HB1736 , HB2425 , HB1590 , HB1913 , HB1573 , HB1542 , HB1804 , HB1976 , HB1704 , HB1996 , HB1541 , HB1926 , HB1703 , HB1866 , HB1710

Keywords: business development, arts, cultural affairs, Hawaii, commissions, administrative transfer, funding appropriation, music education, public concerts, Hawaii State Library, cultural collaboration, music accessibility, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, SFCA, Performing Arts Grants Program, arts grants, culture and the arts, history and the humanities, King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, Works of Art Special Fund

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:58.720><c> be</c> amended pass second reading and be amended pass second reading and be referred
• , please. reservations and comment, please.
• </c> forefront of organized labor and forefront of organized labor and supporting<00:12:10.800><c> unions
• So many worker safety and health laws.
• </c><00:15:40.720><c> it</c> entity to be engaging in this and it entity to be engaging in this and it

Bills: HB2118 , HB1764 , HB1815 , HB2117 , HB2436 , HB2438 , HB2532 , HB2566 , HB2573 , HB1736 , HB2425 , HB1590 , HB1913 , HB1573 , HB1542 , HB1804 , HB1976 , HB1704 , HB1996 , HB1541 , HB1926 , HB1703 , HB1866 , HB1710

Keywords: business development, arts, cultural affairs, Hawaii, commissions, administrative transfer, funding appropriation, music education, public concerts, Hawaii State Library, cultural collaboration, music accessibility, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, SFCA, Performing Arts Grants Program, arts grants, culture and the arts, history and the humanities, King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, Works of Art Special Fund

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of funds over the last two years and of funds over the last two years and with<00:07:25.960><c>
• , and by using data and information gathered to fund and launch a formal, sustainable program.
• </c> program and kind of onetime funding program and kind of onetime funding would<00:36:57.760><c> be
• > or would it be def fund and and the Egg or would it be def fund and and the Egg committee<00:50:55.760
• it</c> public funds are released and it public funds are released and it requires<01:07:41.760><c> Ono

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• and Queen Creek and others.
• I'm sure there's some pros and cons to the distribution of funds through one department or board versus
• The Resource Analysis Division Revolving Fund is used to support the Arizona Geologic Information Council
• The RAD fund is not appropriated, and the revenues in the fund are used to support the work of AGIC and
• utilities can commit to advancing energy infrastructure that will keep rates stable and attract employers

Bills: HB2014 , HB2031 , HB2078 , HB2102 , HB2103 , HB2117 , HB2261 , HB2262 , HB2264 , HB2278 , HB2428 , HB2494 , HB2756 , HB2758 , HB2762 , HB2782 , HB2932 , HB2933 , HB2986

Committees: Senate Natural Resources , Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, water rights, groundwater, Willcox, active management area, certificate of grandfathered rights, Arizona legislature, domestic water, improvement district, water delivery, water hauling, Arizona Revised Statutes, water improvement, grants, low-income, residential property

Transcript Highlights:

• And the state is coming through and shoring up those funds and that's been a really big priority and
• , action fund and yourself.
• That is Joy Davis with the Peer Justice Action Fund, and also registered on behalf of yourself, and you're
• Davis, I have you registered. as representing pure justice action fund and yourself and you're Richard
• And good evening, my name is Joy Davis I'm with the Purchase Justice Action Fund and I'm here this evening

Bills: HB36 , HB75 , HB76 , HB166 , HB799 , HB 1135 , HJR15 , HJR16 , HB36 , HB75 , HB76 , HB166 , HJR15 , HJR16

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: family violence, global positioning monitoring system, victim resources, electronic monitoring, protective orders, magistrate, criminal procedure, probable cause, written findings, law enforcement, bail bonds, bail fund, charitable bail fund, nonprofit bail organization, public funds, local government spending, political subdivision, county, city, taxpayer lawsuit

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to provide ongoing supports to them so that they retain high-quality teachers and attract talent
• , I can take that million dollars in general fund and get my teachers where they're competitive with
• I think we're funded at 40%, and small rural districts, you know, are more geographically, you know,
• very best, highest quality talent that we can put in front of our kids that love kids and understand
• And so the funding you have provided the consortium is very valuable in any ways that we can at least

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee met to discuss the needs of rural school districts and the role of Florida’s three regional education consortia: the Panhandle Area Education Consortium, Northeast Florida Educational Consortium, and Heartland Educational Consortium. Executive directors and several rural superintendents described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide shared services, professional learning, leadership development, grant support, cooperative purchasing, risk management, IT/cybersecurity help, and back-office assistance that small districts could not afford to provide on their own. They emphasized that rural districts are often very small, have limited staff, and must still meet the same state reporting and compliance requirements as large urban systems. Testimony focused heavily on teacher recruitment and retention, alternative certification, and the difficulty of staffing specialized roles such as CFOs, MIS directors, IT staff, and content-area teachers. Superintendents said many new hires are career changers or alternatively certified teachers who need consortium-supported training, and several argued for more flexibility in funding so districts can raise salaries and compete with neighboring districts and nearby states. Members also asked about the impact of declining enrollment, homeschooling, and voucher-related school choice; superintendents said those trends are reducing FTE and creating budget instability, while also requiring districts to right-size staff and programs. Several speakers described the financial strain on rural districts, including rising insurance costs, transportation costs, and the challenge of forecasting budgets when enrollment changes after the school year begins. One superintendent recounted major hurricane damage and said consortium risk-management support was essential to recovery. Others said the consortia help districts pool resources for property and health insurance, payroll, student data systems, and procurement, and that this shared approach saves money and improves services. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the exposures and the carcinogens and just the job conditions.
• are paid through four main funds: the accident fund, medical aid fund, supplemental pension fund, and
• Employers pay premiums into these funds, and workers pay a portion of the premium for medical.
• the department routinely drawing on reserve funds to keep the program solvent and to avoid much larger
• internal state fund oversight committee, and the external Workers' Compensation Advisory Committee.

Bills: HB2188 , HB2563 , HB1571 , HB2144 , HB2191 , HB2218 , HB2243 , HB2372

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Keywords: transparency, industrial insurance, insurance rate increases, financial disclosure, regulatory oversight, unemployment, electronic notices, compensation, digital communication, order processing, workers' compensation, occupational disease, firefighters, fire investigators, law enforcement officers, first responders, heart disease, cardiac conditions, respiratory disease, cancer presumption

Transcript Highlights:

• They attract and support high-profile events that generate economic activity, tourism, and revenue at
• The Event Trust Fund Program consists of three separate funds: the Events Trust Fund (ETF) and the Major
• Fund, and the Motorsports Racing Trust Fund.
• Since 2016, the Motorsports Racing Trust Fund was only used once, in 2016, and the other two funds were
• , and the ability to access funds through the Event Trust Fund enables us to bring these events to West

Bills: HB2385 , HB3349 , HB3962 , HB3883 , HB4396 , HB4811 , HB5088 , HB4588 , HB4867 , HB4895 , HB5398 , HB5616

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Keywords: NRA, funding, major events reimbursement, annual meetings, exhibits, events trust fund, Pan American Games, Olympic Games, motor sports racing, local control, event support contract, INDYCAR, Arlington, tourism, funding eligibility, sporting events, economic impact, local governments, American Performance Horseman, American Rodeo

Transcript Highlights:

• So, can you, do you know the difference between the Alabama and Oklahoma systems?
• This is very strange for me to be saying nice things about Alabama and Oklahoma.
• And so we're.
• They approve and disapprove rate increases and so on and so forth. Currently, the TWA and the...
• try to be on these issues and. to the discussion and to your questions and the consideration of this

Bills: HB778 , HB 1266 , HB1576 , HB2213 , HB2517 , HB2518 , HB2841 , HB3306 , HB3320 , HB3388 , HB3508 , HB3520 , HB3689

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• You have a funding limit; it authorizes up to $500,000 in pre-event funding and up to $1 billion in post-event
• to find a more sustainable and viable funding structure for TWIA.
• funding mechanism that, as I said, would uniformly and fairly apply to all Texans, like... ...Fire and
• We've got a $30 billion rainy day fund, and I trust my friend David Durden to use those funds wisely.
• More on IBHS: this is an industry funded and supported entity.

Bills: HB778 , HB 1266 , HB1576 , HB2213 , HB2517 , HB2518 , HB2841 , HB3306 , HB3320 , HB3388 , HB3508 , HB3520 , HB3689

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> our</c> that we attract talented leaders to our that we attract talented leaders to our health<01
• Attracting top talent to Coos County already requires exceptional skill and intentional effort.
• Attracting retain and recruit leaders.
• money from dog racing and horse racing to fund the children's education scholarship fund. 07 07 07 &
• fund, and then 50% of that surplus goes back into the general fund.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And having this conversation will isolate those gaps, fund those gaps, and have outcomes that will strengthen
• , and federal funding.
• the chief of program and evaluation at the new commonwealth racial equity and social justice fund I'm
• neighborhood development, and we're all in funding from this joint...
• funds, donations, gifts, and that kind of stuff.

Bills: S3022 , H5187

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses

Keywords: ENOUGH Act, ENOUGH fund, anti-poverty, poverty reduction, community development, place-based grants, distressed neighborhoods, economic mobility, housing and livable communities, community schools, cradle-to-career, child poverty, intergenerational poverty, social services, workforce development, education equity, public health, behavioral health, mental health, affordable housing

Transcript Highlights:

• TRA people, and just really a lot of talent.
• TRA people, and just really a lot of talent.
• ><c> public</c><00:34:40.760><c> funds</c> prevent fraud and misuse of public funds prevent fraud and
• this funding would help agencies to accelerate the adoption and integration of that capability, and
• </c><00:40:06.360><c> agencies</c><00:40:07.080><c> to</c> and this funding would help agencies to and

Bills: HF4074

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: retirement, pension, public employees, MSRS, PERA, TRA, St. Paul Teachers Retirement Fund Association, police and fire, correctional employees, probation officers, telecommunicators, dispatchers, 911 operators, public safety answering point, PSAP, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, paid on-call firefighters, fire relief association, state aid