Transcript Highlights:

• Crowdfunding campaigns often use an online intermediary platform and are typically conducted within a
• Crowdfunding campaigns often use an<00:56:38.240><c> online</c><00:56:38.559><c> intermediary</c><00:
• Fifth, we modernize the student loan borrower bill of rights to clarify loan transfers, income-driven
• , and residential mortgage student loan, and residential mortgage servicesers<01:01:10.559><c> aren't
• borrower bill of rights to student loan borrower bill of rights to clarify<01:01:51.359><c> loan</c>

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• We are the Minnesota Homeownership Center, a non-profit intermediary that convenes stakeholders on policy
• Finally, we're very excited about the upcoming launch of a new loan program titled "Prime Path" from
• This is a first-of-its-kind manufactured home loan product.
• tools like the housing infrastructure bonds and down payment assistance to complement this new home loan—are

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the policy and system transformation officer at Youthprise, and Youthprise is an intermediary that
• that is devoted to is an intermediary that is devoted to elevating<01:03:36.359><c> youth</c><01:03:
• we're able to provide the intermediary we're able to provide the training<01:04:38.839><c> wheels</c
• that could prohibit some bearing loans that could prohibit some students<01:06:40.119><c> from</c><01
• but if we work together to align loan but if we work together to align stem<01:21:04.159><c> learning

Bills: HF1936 , HF849 , HF989 , HF1130 , HF1223 , HF1907 , HF1847 , HF1957

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Loan program and<00:29:09.600><c> the</c><00:29:09.720><c> condominium</c><00:29:10.279><c> Loan</c>
• concerns with those loans.
• </c><00:31:17.240><c> I</c> cacer loans and if it's cacer loans I cacer loans and if it's cacer loans
• for traditional commercial loans.
• There's been numerous lawsuits regarding PACE loans, and I believe C-PACE loans also.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The committee opened by outlining testimony procedures and then heard SB 376 on tax credits, which would create a home fire safety improvement tax credit. Testimony from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi urged that the concept would be better handled as a subsidy program and raised drafting concerns about unclear definitions and eligibility. Later, the committees agreed to pass SB 376 with amendments, including making the credit nonrefundable, clarifying third-party certification, deleting recapture-related language, and making technical changes. Members then heard SB 417, which would make unlicensed contractor work during or within five years after an emergency or disaster a class B felony. The Contractors License Board was listed for comments, and the Subcontractors Association supported the measure. The committees ultimately recommended passage with technical, non-substantive amendments and an adjusted effective date, and the measure was adopted. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on SB 782, which would require free and accessible voice communication services for incarcerated people and prohibit state agencies from profiting from those services, while also directing the PUC to set standards and providing funding for the SAVIN victim notification program. Supporters, including the Public Defender, ACLU of Hawaiʻi, Worth Rises, and others, argued the bill would reduce costs for families, improve reentry, and align adult corrections with the juvenile system. Opponents, including the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority, and SAVIN-related witnesses, warned that changing the funding structure could weaken victim notification and safety services. The committees deferred SB 782. The committee also heard SB 999 on fireworks, which would repeal permissible consumer fireworks uses, impose civil penalties and forfeiture remedies, and create a forfeiture special fund for safety education. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, while fireworks industry representatives and others opposed it, arguing prohibition would be ineffective and urging stronger enforcement and education instead. The committees deferred SB 999 for further consideration, and SB 1136 on insurance was also deferred after insurers and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs opposed it. In the later joint session with the Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, SB 744 on condominium loans was heard with support from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and banking groups, while one testifier raised concerns that the program could function like C-PACE financing and add risky debt to condominium associations; testimony and discussion continued on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, like, I just was wondering about the need for the loan assistance. Right. So that would.
• And then the kind of loan assistance that they would be getting, you said that it is private donations
• What are the benefits of partaking in that loan assistance? Right, so it helps.
• And that's the main key thing for that loan assistance: they help you with your down payment.
• This program offers low-interest home mortgage loans and down payment assistance.

Bills: HB158 , HB714 , HB 1198 , HB1630 , HB1998 , HB3509 , HB3788 , HB3875 , HB3948 , HB3977 , HB4097 , HB4313 , HB4314 , HB4317 , HB158

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: housing, veterans, surplus government property, affordable housing, funding sources, housing assistance, homeless prevention, landlord incentives, rural housing, domestic violence, community development, tenant readiness, program participants, financial assistance, homelessness, rental support, Texas Tenant Readiness Program, tenant assistance, housing stability, Texas Department of Housing

Bills: HB158 , HB714 , HB 1198 , HB1630 , HB1998 , HB3509 , HB3788 , HB3875 , HB3948 , HB3977 , HB4097 , HB4313 , HB4314 , HB4317 , HB158

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: housing, veterans, surplus government property, affordable housing, funding sources, housing assistance, homeless prevention, landlord incentives, rural housing, domestic violence, community development, tenant readiness, program participants, financial assistance, homelessness, rental support, Texas Tenant Readiness Program, tenant assistance, housing stability, Texas Department of Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• We carry responsibly underwritten loans.
• Loan amounts would continue to be deferred and added to the end of the loan, and they'll be fully repaid
• And we're not asking for loan forgiveness.
• And I might add, those loans are not secured like a regular home loan.
• So these are loans that are very different from home loans.

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We carry responsibly underwritten loans.
• Loan amounts would continue to be deferred and added to the end of the loan, and they'll be fully repaid
• And I might add, those loans are not secured like a regular home loan.
• And I might add, those loans are not secured like a regular home loan.
• So these are loans that are very different from home loans.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee held an outcomes review of AB 238, the wildfire mortgage forbearance law, focused on how the law has worked for survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Chair Valencia and Assemblymember Harabedian said the hearing was intended to hear directly from survivors, assess whether the law is being implemented as intended, and identify fixes. Several survivors described losing homes, facing long rebuild timelines, and struggling with insurers, housing costs, and mortgage servicers. Many said they encountered confusion, inconsistent information, requests for financial documentation, lump-sum repayment demands, credit reporting problems, or loan modifications that they viewed as undermining the law’s purpose. Some urged clearer consumer education, a consumer bill of rights, and an extension of forbearance relief; one witness specifically advocated for AB 1847 to extend forbearance to 36 months. DFPI Chief Deputy Commissioner Suzanne Martindale said the department had received about 300 wildfire-related consumer complaints, mostly about mortgage forbearance, and that more than 91% had been resolved in the consumer’s favor. She said the department works with both state-licensed and federally regulated institutions, but its authority is limited when national banks are involved, so it often uses outreach and direct contact with lenders and federal partners to resolve complaints. She also described recurring complaint themes such as difficulty obtaining forbearance, customer-service breakdowns, withholding of insurance funds, and non-interest-bearing impound accounts. Committee members pressed DFPI on which institutions were noncompliant, what enforcement tools were available, and how much data the state could collect and make public. Representatives of the California Bankers Association and California Mortgage Bankers Association said lenders had provided early disaster relief and were working to comply with AB 238, but emphasized that mortgage servicing is constrained by federal law, investor requirements, and secondary-market guidelines. They argued that forbearance is temporary relief, not forgiveness, and warned that extending it without a clear repayment path can create future payment shock or larger debt burdens. They also said many servicers use disaster protocols tied to federal declarations and that clearer communication is needed. In response to committee concerns, the mortgage bankers said they would continue working with the Legislature and federal agencies, but could not promise changes beyond investor and agency rules. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are often third-party intermediaries vendors that do the same thing Representative Elkins: Yeah
• There are often third-party intermediaries vendors that do the same thing Representative Elkins: Yeah
• ,</c><00:29:18.720><c> and</c><00:29:18.840><c> once</c><00:29:19.040><c> they</c> improvement loan,
• There are often third-party<00:32:20.720><c> intermediaries</c> third-party intermediaries third-party
• Most of that revenue goes to the intermediaries.

Bills: HF4456 , HF4544 , HF3698

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• When the loan was approved, Aon was given a number of $200 million to bill into the loan, to their rate
• We must learn from what we did to the local government loan, and we must do better.
• The loan fundamentally isn't our problem.
• We are intensifying a crisis that this loan is intended to prevent.
• We support a loan.

Committee: Senate Senate Budget and Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• There are so many programs wrapped into one comprehensive model here: student loan relief, paid student
• Student Teacher Grants, the Aspiring Teachers of Color Scholarship Program, and the Teacher Shortage Loan
• Student Teacher Grants, the Aspiring Teachers of Color Scholarship Program, and the Teacher Shortage Loan
• :40:24.000><c> the</c><01:40:24.159><c> teacher</c><01:40:24.440><c> shortage</c><01:40:24.840><c> loan
• </c> um there's the teacher shortage loan um there's the teacher shortage loan repayment<01:40:25.719

Bills: HF846 , HF1538 , HF1959

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: education, special education, apprenticeship, funding, grants, intermediate school districts, teacher apprenticeship, registered apprenticeship, teacher licensure, teacher shortage, workforce development, education finance, K-12 education, higher education, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, Tier 3 license, teacher preparation, mentor teacher, school district

Transcript Highlights:

• for a loan that never happened.
• or a lien against that property for loan or a lien against that property for a<00:57:44.000><c> loan
• But certainly fraudulent um<00:57:58.640><c> loans</c> um loans um loans um um um all<00:58:01.400><c
• So they actually home equity loan line.
• </c> HELOC loans, home equity line of credit. HELOC loans, home equity line of credit.

Summary: The chairman opened by explaining that the committee would hear proposed interim topics and then rank them by written submissions rather than debating them one by one. The Public Service Commission presented two topics: an educational session on small water utilities, citing maintenance needs, water-quality compliance, and difficulty accessing capital, and a review of civil penalties for pipeline safety violations because Wyoming’s statutory penalties are far below federal levels and could affect compliance and funding. Members and outside presenters then outlined a range of additional topics. Representative Campbell proposed work on fire protection districts and EMS districts, focusing on financial stability, mill levies, and possible county authority to combine districts and levies. He also raised public records at meetings, corporate filing fees, and fraudulent corporate filings. The Community College Commission proposed updating annexation statutes so communities can join community college districts more easily, especially where current mill-levy rules create funding issues. Senator Crago supported the fraudulent corporate filings topic and noted related technology-based solutions and overlap with blockchain issues. Other proposals included CPA “Pathways” licensing changes to address a shortage of accountants, a review of public meetings and public records laws, continuation of the electricity study with emphasis on grid reliability and large-load capacity constraints, and a broader review of the public meetings and records act. Ashley Harpstreith of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities supported extending municipal audit deadlines and described a statewide shortage of auditors and CPAs. Healthy Wyoming proposed studying health coverage options for low-income working adults, including state-sponsored or cooperative models. Representative Chestek proposed making most nonpartisan county offices elected on a nonpartisan basis. No votes or final selections were taken in the portion provided; the committee mainly heard testimony and discussed whether topics should be assigned to this committee or another one.

Transcript Highlights:

• for car loan interest all take<00:03:24.400><c> place</c><00:03:24.640><c> after</c><00:03:24.959><c
• </c><00:09:50.160><c> payments</c> these employer student loan payments these employer student loan payments
• </c><00:19:32.559><c> interest</c> deduction for car loan interest deduction for car loan interest establishes
• </c><00:19:37.200><c> The</c> 10,000 in certain car loan interest.
• The 10,000 in certain car loan interest.

Bills: HR1 , HF387

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: January 6 insurrection, pardon, law enforcement, violent crimes, public safety, justice system, political accountability, Blaine, local sales tax, special tax, restaurant tax, lodging tax, admissions tax, amusement tax, hotel tax, redevelopment, capital improvements, municipal finance, bonding authority, tourism tax

Transcript Highlights:

• The only way to address the student loan crisis is by increasing affordability. expanding student loan
• And will again, when I am not in deferment, I pay my loans and I am.
• board's purview, and it serves the same intended purpose as in the original proposal, acting as an intermediary

Bills: SB530 , SB757 , SB769 , SB1085 , SB1241 , SB1242 , SB1409 , SB1878 , SB2138 , SB2314 , SB2231 , SB2361 , SB2431 , SJR59

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a large agenda and repeatedly recessed for floor activity and other committee conflicts. The committee heard and left pending several higher education bills, including SB 2361 to transfer University of Houston-Victoria from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M System and rename it Texas A&M University Victoria; testimony from university officials, local leaders, and industry representatives strongly supported the move as a way to better align degree programs with regional workforce needs in engineering, agriculture, and STEM. SB 530, which would align Texas accreditation statutes with federal rules allowing institutions to choose among nationally recognized accreditors, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. SB 1085, allowing Sul Ross satellite campuses to offer lower-division coursework toward bachelor’s degrees, was laid out and left pending as well. The committee also took up a series of education policy bills. SB 1241 would expand the standardized tests Texas public universities may accept for admission beyond the SAT and ACT, with supporters from the Classic Learning Test, homeschool advocates, and student-choice groups arguing it would increase access and competition; it was left pending. SB 769 would require a TEA/Higher Education Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, and testimony from The Arc of Texas and others emphasized the need for better data and accessibility; the bill was left pending. SB 2231 would designate the second week of October as Free College Application Week, and SB 1878 would modernize terminology and support workforce-oriented programs at the Josie School; both were laid out and left pending. The committee reported several bills favorably after adopting committee substitutes. SB 605, concerning charter school expansion applications while under conservatorship or a management team, passed on a 9-0 vote. SB 1871, SB 1873, and SB 1874, all related to school discipline and teacher immunity/placement review provisions, were adopted and reported favorably, with members noting the need for further discussion on some language. SB 762, dealing with flag displays in public schools, passed on a 7-1 vote. SB 1962, relating to public school accountability and challenges to school system operations, passed 7-1 after a corrected vote. SB 1750, replacing a $60 million statewide charter facilities cap with an attendance-growth-based allotment, passed 7-1 with one member voting present not voting. SB 2252, supporting kindergarten readiness and early literacy/numeracy, SB 2253, concerning educator preparation and certification, SB 2365, on student use of wireless devices during instructional time, and SB 1924, restoring local peace officer citation authority for school offenses and adding reporting and parent-notification requirements, were also reported favorably. The committee additionally heard SB 37 on higher education governance and compliance oversight, which passed 7-1 after a substitute that refined curriculum review, governing board authority, faculty senate rules, and a new compliance office within the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Transcript Highlights:

• The last thing we want is for someone to start their educational journey, potentially take out loans.

Bills: HB173 , HB184 , HB484 , HB678 , HB 1211 , HB1507 , HB1705 , HB1868 , HB2290 , HB2851 , HB2856 , HB3041 , HB3204 , HB173 , HB184

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's usually under federal Stafford loan programs, typically, where their repayment is...
• We all have student loans, and we have nothing else to offer these young attorneys.
• To touch on what Amanda said about student loans, we both pay our student loans. loans.
• We both still owe student loans. We've both been licensed for over 15 years.
• The public loan forgiveness program is still there, but we don't know.

Bills: HB173 , HB184 , HB484 , HB678 , HB 1211 , HB1507 , HB1705 , HB1868 , HB2290 , HB2851 , HB2856 , HB3041 , HB3204 , HB173 , HB184

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, $137 million went to intermediaries.
• </c><00:16:14.960><c> um</c> highlights the role of intermediaries um highlights the role of intermediaries
• . intermediaries. intermediaries.
• It becomes a commercial opportunity, especially for intermediaries.
• Um and um especially for intermediaries.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• So there has through an intermediary.
• You take in deposits, you make out loans. It's that simple.
• </c> take in deposits, you make out loans. take in deposits, you make out loans.
• Without deposits, loans<01:57:34.960><c> aren't</c><01:57:35.199><c> made.
• </c> loans aren't made. Loans aren't made. loans aren't made. Loans aren't made.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Bills: HB1974 , HB1853 , HB1973 , HB1574 , HB2619 , HB1966 , HB1643 , HB1671 , HB2558 , HB1854 , HB2173 , HB1575 , HB2229 , HB1535 , HB1978 , HB2508 , HB1549 , HB2187 , HB1550 , HB1977 , HB2314 , HB1871 , HB2319 , HB1591 , HB1858 , HB1898 , HB2372 , HB1765 , HB2012 , HB1706 , HB1962 , HB1963 , HB1975 , HB2009 , HB2083 , HB2224 , HB1877 , HB1959 , HB1626 , HB1665 , HB2488 , HB2456 , HB2548 , HB2207 , HB1832 , HB2079 , HB1985 , HB1618 , HB2486 , HB2242 , HB2045 , HB1703 , HB2236 , HB2480 , HB1976 , HB2287 , HB2288 , HB1777 , HB276 , HB1660 , HB1676 , HB1605 , HB1751 , HB1967 , HB2383 , HB2340 , HB1946 , HB2268 , HB1950 , HB2156 , HB2118 , HB1859 , HB1863 , HB1996 , HB2114 , HB2423 , HB2429 , HB2475 , HB2534 , HB2545 , HB1813 , HB1941 , HB2474 , HB2583 , HB1576 , HB1886 , HB1939 , HB2540 , HB2590 , HB2000 , HB2163 , HB2386 , HB1691 , HB1680 , HB2516 , HB1993 , HB2442 , HB1510 , HB1958 , HB1692

Keywords: HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB5831 , SB6134 , SB6136 , SB6137 , HB2689 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5957 , SB5988 , SB5994 , SB6011 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151 , SB6244 , SB5420 , SB5868 , SB6044 , SB6132 , SJM8002 , HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5831 , SB6137 , SB6244 , SB5420 , SB5868 , SB6044 , SB6132 , SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives