Transcript Highlights:

• Respectfully ask that this bill be favorably reported. I thank you for your time. I close.
• We know that, you know, from the data that there's clearly efficiencies to be gained.
• And that is um You know, Efficiency is by volume. Thank you.
• Each utility is required to file an annual report to review their finances.
• They do not always come forth with that report.

Bills: HB 29, HB 685, HB 1633, HB 1689, HB 1690, HB 1918, HB 2010, HB 2500, HB 2608, HB 2626

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• We also evaluate the efficiency of the system. We, of course, collect a lot of data.
• As recently as January 31st of 2025, local media is still reporting on that situation.
• I have seen them in the news reports.
• As recently as January 31st of 2025, local media is still reporting on that situation.
• I have seen them in the news reports.

Summary: The committee met to review agency program funding as it prepared to build the budget, hearing brief presentations from six agencies and then taking member questions. Florida Division of Emergency Management highlighted its role in response, preparedness, recovery, and mitigation, describing a largely federal pass-through budget, major technology investments, and large disaster and preparedness grant activity. The Department of Commerce, Department of State, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, Florida State Guard, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles also summarized their budgets, staffing, and major programs, including workforce and economic development, elections and arts funding, housing assistance, transportation work programs, military readiness, state guard expansion, and highway safety and motorist services. Members focused questions on several issues: arts and library grant funding and whether award criteria had changed; Commerce’s rural infrastructure and job growth grants and why funds were not being disbursed faster; Florida Housing’s use of SAIL, Live Local, Hometown Heroes, and SHIP funds and how smaller agencies learn about and access funding; and DOT’s work program gap between agency and governor proposals. The most extensive questioning was directed to Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about long DMV lines, vacancies, overtime, staffing shortages, and the ability to shift funds between divisions. The department said staffing and pay constraints, especially in South Florida, were driving service delays and vacancy rates, and that overtime was being used because troopers were leaving for better-paying jobs. The Florida State Guard was also questioned about its spending and procurement pace, including aircraft purchases and facilities. Its director said long procurement timelines explained the low initial spending and that obligations had risen sharply as contracts matured. Members also asked about the department’s public opposition to Amendment 3 and whether agency resources were used in that effort; the director said no contracts or purchases were made to influence the vote and said the colonel’s comments were made off the clock. The meeting ended with the chair asking agencies to respond promptly to unanswered questions, and the committee adjourned without any recorded votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• From an efficiency point of view, this doesn't make sense anymore. Why are we doing it?
• This is not about efficiency.
• You know, as everyone else on the committee, I have seen some conflicting reporting about the extent
• I think the LAO report offered that we have 7.9 billion dollars potential cuts to our K-12 education
• We plan to use that report as the basis for the April hearing.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it will, uh, allow us to be very efficient in today's hearing.
• Efficiency Efficiency and transparency almost always in rationally operating markets drive down costs
• Way, way down and increase efficiency of deployment.
• They didn't even report it. They left the scene.
• He reported it and we found that we had a serious hazard.

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will report the bill.
• The clerk will report the bill. 2130. The clerk will report the bill.
• The clerk will report the bill.
• The clerk will report the bill. 3045. The clerk will report the bill.
• report change in here as well. report change in here as well.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• :17:31.840> and publish our annual report and publish our annual report and consolidate<00:17:
• It represents the compare report.
• It represents the compare report.
• It represents the compare report.
• It represents the compare report.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Can we be more efficient with benefits, or can we be more efficient with the people that are on that
• Reporting on from whom the reports are made and by whom the alleged harm was committed?
• As was stated, the report, the UNI report, identifies the exact degrees that are needed, not to duplicate
• It's self-reported data, so yeah, self-identified.
• Okay, yeah, it's a self-reported data, so yeah, self-identified.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met to review CSU and State Library budget issues, enrollment trends, the Capital Fellows program, and a Title IX update. Chair David Alvarez opened by stressing that CSU faces serious financial pressure, including a systemwide deficit and proposed cuts that he and several members said were too large and likely to harm access, course offerings, and student services. Public comment focused heavily on the Braille Institute Library, with patrons, staff, veterans, and advocates urging restoration of funding and warning that the proposed cut would severely affect blind and visually impaired Californians across Southern California. Several CSU faculty, staff, and union representatives also opposed the proposed reductions and warned of larger class sizes, fewer sections, and layoffs. On the CSU core operations item, the Department of Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to reduce ongoing General Fund support by about $375 million and defer a 5% base increase, while the LAO said CSU core funding would be roughly flat once tuition and targeted augmentations were considered, but warned that rising costs and prior shortfalls would still force campuses to cut spending. CSU’s Chancellor’s Office said the proposed cut would deepen existing problems, citing prior-year budget gaps, job losses, reduced course sections, and student-service reductions. Members pressed Finance and the LAO on whether cuts could be made more surgically, especially at the Chancellor’s Office or in institutional support rather than in instruction, and the LAO said the Legislature has flexibility to target cuts more specifically. CSU also described ongoing consolidation efforts, including shared services among campuses and the planned Cal Maritime/Cal Poly San Luis Obispo integration, while cautioning that savings are not yet fully known. The committee then discussed CSU enrollment. The LAO recommended holding enrollment targets flat because the budget does not add new funding, while CSU reported strong recent growth, including more California residents, record first-year enrollment, and expanded direct admissions and transfer pathways. Members questioned why some campuses with high demand turn away many applicants while others continue to lose enrollment, and CSU said it is shifting resources from campuses with sustained declines to those with demand, using a 10% below-target threshold. The committee also discussed whether enrollment declines mirror local population trends, how to improve marketing and program alignment, and whether lessons from Cal Poly Humboldt’s conversion could inform other campuses such as Sonoma State. The Capital Fellows item drew a Finance proposal for a salary increase and an LAO counterproposal for a smaller raise plus future COLA language; the committee kept the item open. Finally, CSU reported progress on Title IX compliance, saying it has completed most State Auditor recommendations, expanded civil rights staffing, and increased training, prevention, and case-management efforts, though members asked how proposed budget cuts might affect those services.

Transcript Highlights:

• In January of 2025, the USDA released its cattle inventory report, and that report essentially shows
• That report showed that cattle are at a low all-time low inventory.
• it is and how efficient their water usage is.
• Efficiency in In watering for purposes.
• Our members are committed to conservation and efficient efficiency, yet, you know, they deal with sometimes

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's the report that, you know, one in five employers had misclassified a worker.
• Um, there's the report that, you know, one in five employers had misclassified a worker.
• Um, there's the report that, you know, one in five employers had misclassified a worker.
• Uh, Sarah" "Report.
• So then I'm going to, at the minimum, the study and report must provide... ...report must provide, and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will report the title of the bill.
• requires the capacity to efficiently requires the capacity to efficiently permit<03:45:04.720>
• <03:59:59.840> and gold book for efficient and gold book for efficient and environmentally
• through the process more efficiently through the process more efficiently while<04:05:43.680>
• >> The clerk will report the title of the >> The clerk will report the title of the bill.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And a lot of that is not just how monies are distributed through the cities and counties and reporting
• The state actually puts out a report, because it's so complex, in October, listing all the debt.
• The bill also requires ADOA in fiscal year 2027 to submit a report to specified governmental entities
• The bill also requires ADOA in fiscal year 2027 to submit a report to specified governmental entities
• The bill also outlines program coverage, eligibility, capacity, and reporting requirements, and with

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will report the bill.
• And frankly, if we're to have the most effective and efficient government in the state, we need to involve
• So this bill is meant for efficiency, meant for savings, but also importantly is meant for listening
• So this bill is meant for efficiency, meant for savings, but also importantly is meant for listening
• <00:02:34.400> meant<00:02:34.640> for bill is meant for efficiency meant for bill

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We are required under law to provide you reports.
• We'll continue to report as this program continues.
• It's the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund. Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund.
• In terms of reporting, the Venture Capital Investment Committee reviews a quarterly performance report
• and also an annual report.

Transcript Highlights:

• There being eight ayes and zero nays, House Bill 4215 is favorably reported.
• House Bill 4215 is favorably reported.
• energy very efficiently.
• There's plenty of ways to improve the efficiency of gas-powered units.
• NFIB produces a monthly report that we call the Small Business Economic Trends Report, and we pull a

Bills: HB132, HB 11, HB14, HB132, HB1584, HB1606, HB5061, HB 1041, HB2286

Keywords: nuclear energy, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, energy policy, regulation repeal, state energy strategy, licensing, reciprocity, regulation, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, interstate agreements, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, HB 132, Texas Government Code Chapter 418, Public Information Act, confidential records, homeland security, foreign adversary, terrorism

Summary: The committee first took up pending business and quickly reported several measures favorably, including HB 12, SB 1361, SB 1705, SB 1749, SB 1897, SB 2344, SB 2566, HB 3809, and HB 4215, with most sent to the Local and Uncontested Calendar. HB 12’s substitute clarified a limited midterm review of regulatory agencies tied to Sunset Commission recommendations. SB 2696’s substitute changed med spa regulation from a license to a certificate, with training instead of an exam, plus background checks, continuing education, and two-year renewals. HB 3809 dealt with battery energy storage decommissioning and recycling, and HB 4215 was reported without a substitute. SB 1978, concerning interconnection of electric facilities in ERCOT and federal jurisdiction concerns, was reported out on a 5-3 vote after debate, but then the chair later announced the bill was withdrawn and left pending subject to the call of the chair. HB 1899 was also reported favorably, with one nay. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 14, the advanced nuclear energy bill. Senator Schwertner described it as creating a Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, a nuclear permitting coordinator, a development fund, a completion grant program, and a workforce development program. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including representatives from Fermi America, Dow/X-energy, CPS Energy, Paragon Energy Solutions, Bridge to Nuclear, Aalo Atomics, and the Texas Association of Business, argued that Texas should lead in advanced nuclear, citing future baseload demand, data centers, industrial power needs, supply-chain development, and long-term energy diversification. Opponents, including Public Citizen, Texas Nuclear Watchdogs, Sierra Club, and individual citizens, argued the bill would subsidize unproven, expensive technology, create grants rather than loans, and expose taxpayers to major risk while doing little to meet near-term energy needs. Several members questioned whether the state should fund projects that may not produce grid power for years, and whether the bill’s grant structure and new office were justified. The committee also heard HB 5061, which Senator Schwertner said would prohibit unethical surveillance and misuse of confidential information by state contractors, create a confidential reporting system through the State Auditor’s Office, authorize Texas Rangers investigations, protect whistleblowers, and impose penalties including contract termination, fines, and contracting bans. No public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. HB 132, sponsored by Senator Hughes, would extend confidentiality protections for sensitive information to hostile acts by foreign adversaries; it was also left pending after no testimony. HB 1584 was then laid out, with Senator Schwertner explaining it would require utilities to maintain and update priority restoration lists for critical facilities after Hurricane Beryl exposed communication failures, but the transcript cuts off before any action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am very concerned that you're reporting here that annual reporting was not done by people doing the
• And so when you have good results, for one thing, why are they not reporting that?
• Was the PED mindful of this and reminding them they had to annually do a report, or just if you would
• It does say in the statute clearly that there will be annual reports to LESC on this.
• We have not heard an official report on the efficacy of the pilot in the last seven years.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• Clerk, now receive the report of the standing committee.
• Session, you are very efficient, like you know this is efficient too.
• It is efficient, but.
• Time we vote, and so it is efficient, but I don't know if efficient is always the way when it comes down
• Well, I do understand about efficiency, but it still seems there's a balance there between the efficiency

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the report.
• in the report.
• in the report.
• The annual report provides the commission's membership at the time of the report.
• <00:52:08.440> the<00:52:08.680> report provided in the report the report provided

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The report listed two recommendations that the work group would like for the legislature to adopt.
• Processing contested cases quickly and efficiently is key to our regulatory mission.
• Processing contested cases quickly and efficiently is key to our regulatory mission.
• I do not have the staff to review NPDB query self-query reports for 30,000 renewals every year.
• I would like to come and tell you somewhat of how a very efficient agency we...

Bills: SB1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met to review Article 8, regulatory agencies, and began Article 9, general provisions, before recessing for floor action. The committee first heard budget presentations from the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC). The PUC budget recommendation was about $5.07 billion in all funds, including an additional $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, plus funding for staffing and technology needs tied to contested cases, infrastructure resiliency, and outage mapping. PUC witnesses emphasized the agency’s growing workload, the need for more staff and modern systems, and oversight of the Texas Energy Fund. OPUC’s recommendation was about $6.9 million, with a reduction in authorized FTEs to better match actual staffing; the agency requested additional funding for salaries, expert witnesses, and budget flexibility, and members highlighted OPUC’s role representing residential and small commercial consumers in utility proceedings. The committee then heard from the Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), whose recommendation was just over $11.2 million. BHEC’s main requests included funding to fill vacant positions, money for continuous National Practitioner Data Bank queries, and a proposed Texas-owned psychology licensing exam in response to concerns about changes to the national exam. Agency leaders also discussed a rider request that would shift responsibility for certain judgments or settlements to the comptroller. Members asked about prior complaint backlogs, and BHEC said those backlogs had been cleared. The Board of Chiropractic Examiners followed, with a recommendation of just under $2.4 million; the board sought support for staffing, training, broadband, and salary retention, and described its work regulating chiropractors and workers’ compensation-related doctors. The Board of Dental Examiners was the last agency heard before the committee recessed. Its recommendation was just under $10 million, and it requested a 10% salary increase for eligible staff, three additional licensing staff, one staff member to handle required background checks, an additional attorney, and an executive director salary adjustment. Dental board witnesses said licensure growth, increased complaints, and low salaries were straining licensing and enforcement operations, even though the agency reported strong performance and high case completion rates. The chair ended the hearing early because the Senate had to return to the floor, and the committee remained in recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• On slide 10, we discuss some of the foundational reports that are guiding us.
• There are some other things we want to see: financials, audit reports, what have you.
• Get a preliminary engineering report." That's a 100% grant.
• We have an energy efficiency revolving loan fund. This just launched last week.
• This is state grants for residential energy efficiency...

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports of standing committees: without objection, reports of standing committees listed on the calendar
• , submits the following report.
• President, I move that the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
• The reader will read the report. Mr.
• Efficiency in government, we all want that.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a roll call showing 29 present, and approval of the prior journal. Members then recognized several guests, including Scouting America Cub Scout troops and Dr. Sarah Lee Davidson as Doctor of the Day, and Senator Kavanaugh presented a proclamation recognizing Valley Fever Awareness and the work of the University of Arizona’s Valley Fever Center for Excellence. The chamber then considered several bills in Committee of the Whole. SB 1036, dealing with unemployment insurance requirements, disqualifications, and determinations, drew the most debate; supporters said it was aimed at preventing fraud and improving compliance, while opponents argued it would add red tape and harm struggling workers. The committee adopted a Government Committee amendment and recommended the bill do pass. SB 1056, on reporting vacant budget positions, also received a do-pass recommendation, and SB 1236, concerning AHCCCS enrollment verification and presumptive eligibility, was amended with a Kavanaugh floor amendment and recommended do pass despite concerns from some members that it would restrict access for vulnerable populations. SB 1238, relating to the physician assistant licensure compact, was amended with a conforming Shamp amendment and recommended do pass. On third reading, the Senate passed SB 1036 by 17-12, SB 1056 by 17-12, SB 1126 unanimously, SB 1189 by 27-2, and SB 1211 unanimously. The chamber also substituted and passed House bills identical to earlier Senate measures, including HB 2206 and HB 2396, both on SNAP-related issues, with debate focused on food access, administrative burdens, and federal error-rate penalties. HB 2190, the physician assistant compact bill, and HB 2796, the AHCCCS-related bill, were also substituted and passed. The Senate adopted HCR 255, a death resolution for Victor E. Hardy, observed a moment of silence, and then adjourned until February 17, 2026.