Transcript Highlights:

• So, so in talking about it, it's, it's about the way the statute of law is written.
• This ingenious change in law would protect Mr.
• Yet law enforcement is often left with little to no leads to solve these violent crimes.
• Let's give our law enforcement the tools they need.
• We should use them for law enforcement purposes. Absolutely support this bill.

Bills: HB 2065 , HB 2462 , HB 2621 , HB 3187 , HB 3539 , HB 3563 , HB 3726 , HB 4164 , HB 4207 , HB 4368 , HB 4706 , HB 4916 , HB 4950 , HB 4967 , HB 5177 , HB 4429 , HB 5597

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: commercial vehicles, parking regulations, residential areas, local governance, land use, traffic safety, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, regional transportation, mobility program, sales tax, public infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the move-over or slow-down law does protect law enforcement, other first responders, tow truck
• And we've had this law in place; the original law was, I believe, enacted in 2003. the first iteration
• of the move-over slow-down law.
• By passing a uniform law. Law. Uniformity increases compliance because people don't get confused.
• Okay, and just to clarify, state law...

Bills: HB2065 , HB2462 , HB2621 , HB3187 , HB3539 , HB3563 , HB3726 , HB4164 , HB4207 , HB4368 , HB4706 , HB4916 , HB4950 , HB4967 , HB5177 , HB4429 , HB5597

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: commercial vehicles, parking regulations, residential areas, local governance, land use, traffic safety, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, regional transportation, mobility program, sales tax, public infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• to thank the people that are here helping support Lauren today alongside her sister and brother-in-law
• At that point, then it would be binding law for that group to service the port, Cedarport, in Chambers

Bills: HB2065 , HB2462 , HB2621 , HB3187 , HB3539 , HB3563 , HB3726 , HB4164 , HB4207 , HB4368 , HB4706 , HB4916 , HB4950 , HB4967 , HB5177 , HB4429 , HB5597

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: commercial vehicles, parking regulations, residential areas, local governance, land use, traffic safety, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, regional transportation, mobility program, sales tax, public infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• Targeting TWC section 13.043E is a biased and unjust law.
• Forty years of common law exists between them.
• The law does not reflect... Those differences when it comes to who can file an appeal.
• As it is today in the law, SB 2692 does not represent an improvement, we feel, over the current law.
• Marta Fee, separate legislation, separate law.

Bills: SB1169 , SB1285 , SB1583 , SB1611 , SB1898 , SB1976 , SB2160 , SB2161 , SB2658 , SB2661 , SB2662 , SB2692 , SB1055 , SB1359 , SB2660

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: water service, sewer service, public utility, joint operation, infrastructure, municipality, compliance, SB 1285, bats, bat protection, wildlife protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Parks and Wildlife Code Section 63.101, hunting bats, bat possession, bat sales, bat trade, pest control, licensed pest control professional, animal control officer

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, the statute reads that a district can assess a penalty of $10,000 per violation, and
• At the end of 30 days, under current law, you will have a penalty of $300,000 if a water district wants
• to use the current law of $10,000 per violation.
• All they have the right to do is go to a court of law and ask the court to impose a reasonable penalty
• Since 1997, state law has required public water suppliers to reduce customer water use when droughts

Bills: SB1169 , SB1285 , SB1583 , SB1611 , SB1898 , SB1976 , SB2160 , SB2161 , SB2658 , SB2661 , SB2662 , SB2692 , SB1055 , SB1359 , SB2660

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: water service, sewer service, public utility, joint operation, infrastructure, municipality, compliance, SB 1285, bats, bat protection, wildlife protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Parks and Wildlife Code Section 63.101, hunting bats, bat possession, bat sales, bat trade, pest control, licensed pest control professional, animal control officer

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, the statute reads that a district can assess a penalty of $10,000 per violation, and
• At the end of 30 days under current law, you will have a penalty of $4,650,000.
• If a water district wants to use current law, $10,000. Then at 30 days you get to $4.6 million.
• All they have the right to do is go to a court of law and ask the court to impose a reasonable penalty
• Since 1997, the state law required the public water suppliers to prepare drought contingency plans to

Bills: SB 1169 , SB 1285 , SB 1583 , SB 1611 , SB 1898 , SB 1976 , SB 2160 , SB 2161 , SB 2658 , SB 2661 , SB 2662 , SB 2692 , SB 1055 , SB 1359 , SB 2660

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: water service, sewer service, public utility, joint operation, infrastructure, municipality, compliance, SB 1285, bats, bat protection, wildlife protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Parks and Wildlife Code Section 63.101, hunting bats, bat possession, bat sales, bat trade, pest control, licensed pest control professional, animal control officer

Transcript Highlights:

• Federal law is supreme and may preempt state law in one of two ways: explicit congressional direction
• , or implicitly when state law stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full
• While the CFIUS statute... ...does not expressly preempt state law, there is a plausible argument that
• the American Bar Association (ABA) for institutional recognition, which in turn determines whether law
• That's still in the law right now.

Bills: SB1065 , SB2117 , SB2217 , SB2363 , SB2533 , SB2742 , SB2743 , SB2881 , SB2964 , SB3013 , SB3014

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: SB 1065, handgun carry, license holder, concealed carry, open carry, government contracts, governmental entity, property lease, state agencies, local government, higher education, university, Texas Government Code, Penal Code 30.06, Penal Code 30.07, Penal Code 46.03, Second Amendment, gun rights, firearms, civil penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• This policy change really only bans the people that follow the law.
• More law-abiding than even law enforcement officers themselves.
• Grisham actually influenced some of the law. lawsuit filed by A.G.
• intent of of what the intent of the current state law should be.
• And our constitutional system Federal law is supreme and may preempt state law in one of two ways. explicit

Bills: SB1065 , SB2117 , SB2217 , SB2363 , SB2533 , SB2742 , SB2743 , SB2881 , SB2964 , SB3013 , SB3014

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: SB 1065, handgun carry, license holder, concealed carry, open carry, government contracts, governmental entity, property lease, state agencies, local government, higher education, university, Texas Government Code, Penal Code 30.06, Penal Code 30.07, Penal Code 46.03, Second Amendment, gun rights, firearms, civil penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• This creates confusion and inconsistency in the law.
• I'm also a retired law enforcement officer of 26 years in the U.S.
• This policy change really only bans the people that follow the law.
• citizens in the state of Texas, more law-abiding than even law enforcement officers themselves.
• intent of what the current state law should be.

Bills: SB1065 , SB2117 , SB2217 , SB2363 , SB2533 , SB2742 , SB2743 , SB2881 , SB2964 , SB3013 , SB3014

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: SB 1065, handgun carry, license holder, concealed carry, open carry, government contracts, governmental entity, property lease, state agencies, local government, higher education, university, Texas Government Code, Penal Code 30.06, Penal Code 30.07, Penal Code 46.03, Second Amendment, gun rights, firearms, civil penalty

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 1065, which would require government property contracts to prohibit contractors from barring licensed handgun holders from carrying firearms on leased or owned public property, with civil penalties and attorney general enforcement for violations. Senator Hall and invited witnesses from the Texas State Rifle Association, NRA, and Texas Gun Rights argued the bill would close a loophole exposed by the State Fair of Texas gun ban and protect law-abiding Texans’ self-defense rights. Opponents, including Moms Demand Action/Everytown, said the bill would undermine event organizers’ ability to set site-specific safety rules and could increase liability and insurance costs. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. The committee next took up Senate Bill 2742, which would create civil penalties for independent school districts and officials who use public resources for electioneering, waive immunity defenses, and expand attorney general enforcement. Senator Hagan-Bood said current law bans the conduct but lacks meaningful penalties, making injunctions the only remedy. No public testimony was heard, and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2743, also by Senator Hagan-Bood, which would allow a court to disqualify local prosecutors who refuse to prosecute election offenses and appoint the attorney general to handle the case, with a committee substitute adjusting the removal process through an adjacent-county judge. Opponents from the Texas Civil Rights Project argued the bill would undermine prosecutorial discretion and was vague and open to abuse, while a Harris County election official described past instances where alleged voter fraud cases were not pursued. After testimony, public comment was closed and SB 2743 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of you have asked why we need this bill since we passed a law in Alabama in 2019 allowing school
• But while the model works, the hard truth is this: The current law in Alabama is not working.
• There's already a law in place.
• saying that, but just for the record, I taught… that, but just for the record, I taught seniors in law
• school for 25 years as a constitutional law professor.

Bills: SB166 , HB365 , HB272 , HB232 , HB234 , SB278 , SB277

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: Ten Commandments, public education, displays, funding, Alabama law, STEM, science education, technology education, engineering education, math education, workforce development, career pathways, Alabama STEM Council, Department of Workforce, education policy, higher education, community colleges, K-12 education, teacher pipeline, STEM careers

Transcript Highlights:

• It ties it to that particular... part of the federal law. Thank you. Thank you, Senator.
• Our law is designed to save all lives involved and by no means does our law require a physician to deny
• is different from how they would define it versus how the law defines it.
• So a physician with a basic familiarity with the law might be aware of the heartbeat law, but not of
• It is not against the law, but it does raise serious issues about safety.

Bills: SB801 , SB1200 , SB1410 , SB1717 , SB1862 , SB1863 , SB2216 , SB2681 , SB506 , SB2626 , SJR63 , SB 3

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: SB 801, birth certificate, birth record, certified copy, homeless, homelessness, unhoused, vital records, state registrar, local registrar, county clerk, fee waiver, identity documents, ID access, housing insecurity, shelter, transitional housing, Health and Safety Code, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission

Bills: SB801 , SB1200 , SB1410 , SB1717 , SB1862 , SB1863 , SB2216 , SB2681 , SB506 , SB2626 , SJR63 , SB 3

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: SB 801, birth certificate, birth record, certified copy, homeless, homelessness, unhoused, vital records, state registrar, local registrar, county clerk, fee waiver, identity documents, ID access, housing insecurity, shelter, transitional housing, Health and Safety Code, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• The gentleman talks about the family law system.
• Access to a child should always be limited again under the Law of Unintended Consequences in Family Law
• I am a family law attorney in Houston.
• This is our family law case.
• The law currently allows when that first marriage.

Bills: HB168 , HB 1044 , HB1534 , HB1914 , HB2240 , HB2530 , HB3284 , HB3395 , HB3515 , HB3783 , HB4034 , HB4213 , HB168

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it against the law to pay to emancipate a minor? It would be.
• As you probably know, this became law in 2017.
• our statutory rape laws here in Texas.
• So in 2017, the law raised the eligible age to 18.
• So, it was exactly one year after Texas passed its own law.

Bills: HB168 , HB 1044 , HB1534 , HB1914 , HB2240 , HB2530 , HB3284 , HB3395 , HB3515 , HB3783 , HB4034 , HB4213 , HB168

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• I was very concerned with spending and following the law.
• No, all this bill does is make it that if... ...state law says that the mode of transportation is not
• So this particular bill would state that there's a state law, so you can't...
• This is all based upon if something's prohibited by state law, then they can't.
• That's why there's a law on this one, or at least a proposed law.

Bills: SB 1079 , SB 1243 , SB 1504 , SB 1579 , SB 1708 , SB 1844 , SB 1851 , SB 1879 , SB 1921 , SB 1951 , SB 2237 , SB 2238 , SB 2406 , SB 2407

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: SB 1079, Texas, county government, commissioners court, Local Government Code, Chapter 263, surplus property, salvage property, data storage device, hard drive, electronic media, digital records, confidential information, protected information, privacy, records retention, information security, data destruction, device disposal, sensitive data

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Committee on Local Government was marked by significant discussions on multiple bills aimed at enhancing governance and protecting taxpayer interests. Among the notable legislations was SB1951, where Senator Paxton emphasized reforms to reduce erroneous penalty notices imposed by appraisal districts, eliminating the financial incentive for such penalties. The session concluded with public testimonies that highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in taxpayer dealings. Additionally, Senator Middleton presented SB1504 and SB2237, focusing on the operational frameworks of local authorities and executive severance payments, respectively, both of which sparked considerable debate among committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, these are always hard situations, and, uh, Texas law has always recognized every pro-life law Texas
• that exception to our pro-life laws.
• all of these older laws match up.
• Is this an ectopic pregnancy and the pro-life laws don't apply?
• to help in understanding Texas's abortion laws.

Bills: SB 31 , SB 33 , SB 510 , SB 871 , SB 1868 , SB 2024 , SB 2166 , SB 2309 , SB 2880 , SJR 27 , SJR 39 , SJR 40

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, unborn child, abortion exception, abortion ban, physician liability, health care liability claim, aiding and abetting, Texas Medical Board, State Bar of Texas, continuing medical education

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill follows a multi-session effort to close the many loopholes tobacco companies exploit in the law
• committee for hearing this bill, and we encourage you to take a stronger look at all of our tobacco laws
• importantly, the big one is to fully fund compliance programs to ensure every retailer is following the law

Bills: HB18 , HB742 , HB754 , HB1644 , HB2187 , HB1887 , HB 1275 , HB37 , HB1503 , HB1699 , HB1700 , HB2735 , HB1741 , HB1731 , HB1675 , HB18 , HB37

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, trafficking prevention, medical assistant training, health care facilities, hospital compliance, clinic compliance, anti-retaliation, whistleblower protection, employee reporting, good faith report

Transcript Highlights:

• came to Austin and after that big fire and I was worked with legislation down here to try to get some laws
• And so I was back in Austin and and worked again with legislation to try to get laws passed that were
• going to go at this from a taxpayer perspective, if an AG agency is not upholding the rules and the laws
• So, I guess my follow-up would be, is there any law we could pass that would... would help in that area
• We had a chance to address it in law.

Bills: HB 13 , HB143 , HB144 , HB145 , HB366 , HB470 , HB805 , HB912 , HB13 , HB143 , HB144 , HB145

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: emergency communication, infrastructure, first responders, grant program, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, local governments, HB 143, Texas Railroad Commission, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas, well site, surface facility, electrical power line, National Electrical Code, NEC, electrical safety, utility disconnect, service disconnection

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I mean, there is, the way the law is written, I think maybe...
• Do you know what other states may have laws that they implemented?
• I always like to see women in law enforcement.
• How many years of law enforcement experience do you have?
• enforcement, to expand law enforcement.

Bills: HB 13 , HB143 , HB144 , HB145 , HB366 , HB470 , HB805 , HB912 , HB13 , HB143 , HB144 , HB145

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: emergency communication, infrastructure, first responders, grant program, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, local governments, HB 143, Texas Railroad Commission, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas, well site, surface facility, electrical power line, National Electrical Code, NEC, electrical safety, utility disconnect, service disconnection

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, Texas law defines rental agreements inconsistently.

Bills: SB 21 , SB21 , SB72 , SB140 , SB262 , SB370 , SB372 , SB495 , SB627 , SB703 , SB764 , SB842

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information