Transcript Highlights:

• Questions from our legislators?
• It's pretty much a flat budget request.
• what we're requesting for FY27.
• They currently administer a small amount of appropriation that Senator Pinto several years ago appropriated
• Unfortunately, it was a one-time appropriation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are various temporary appropriation requests.
• The appropriation was requested earlier in the agenda.
• In section F, this is the appropriation of fund transfer requests.
• These are cash fund appropriation requests.
• In Section I, this is a pay plan appropriation request.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At the bottom are two new projects requested as exceptional items by the agency in their legislative
• appropriations request.
• The agency had requested it in their legislative appropriations request.
• appropriation request.
• Our legislative appropriation request supports our mission and ensures the agency can continue to provide

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken. The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information. The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislative Assistant Dwayne Quam.
• </c><00:04:10.560><c> that</c> open statutory appropriation that open statutory appropriation that reimburses
• </c><00:05:20.800><c> of</c> statutory general fund appropriation of statutory general fund appropriation
• </c> uh is an important area for legislators uh is an important area for legislators in<00:18:41.520>
• ><c> special</c><00:32:46.559><c> legislation</c><00:32:47.080><c> that</c> of certain special legislation

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• "The insurance divisions are requesting personal service appropriations and FTE for additional team members
• And the division is also requesting to continue the current 10% flexibility between PS and E&E appropriation
• Is that one of our legislative requests?
• It's requesting an additional $755,318 for PS appropriation increase.
• appropriations.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I request a ruling from the chair on whether I should be required to vote.
• Same request. Same request because I own a repair facility, a dealer, and a towing company.
• Senate Bill 787, supplemental appropriation to the Department of Commerce.
• Senate Bill 787, supplemental appropriation to the Department of Commerce.
• Senate Bill 78, supplemental appropriation to the Department of Commerce.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• TFC is also requesting six new additional riders that are associated with appropriation authority, unexpended
• Finally, we've requested **LBB** to make technical corrections to restore our authority to appropriate
• We've requested the **LBB** to make technical corrections to restore our authority to appropriate unexpended
• Hence our request.
• applications, Texas 2036 respectfully requests that the legislature make an additional appropriation

Bills: SB1, SB 1

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

Transcript Highlights:

• The and who were submitting requests.
• </c> requests on our website. requests on our website.
• </c> changes uh in the last legislative changes uh in the last legislative session<00:02:12.480><c> that
• session or future legislative session or future legislative<00:14:14.079><c> sessions.
• Uh so the full legislative sessions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: And as of their legislative appropriations requests total $11.3 million and include nine FTE positions
• This does not include $358.9 million of exceptional item 22 from their legislative appropriations request
• Agency exceptional items as of their legislative appropriations request that were not included in recommendations
• Kelsey Vela: ... legislative appropriations request that were not included in recommendations, total
• appropriations request.

Bills: SB1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees. DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.

Transcript Highlights:

• She explained that they request the full appropriation because timelines can speed up or slow down, and
• I guess I would request, and by request, I know you're going to have to, because you're not the one doing
• with this request this fiscal year.
• The FY27 request does reflect a reduction of $1 million in one-time appropriation authority from the
• We get more requests in terms of dollars requested than we have funds to grant.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are still waiting for one more legislator. We are still waiting for one more legislator.
• Going into the special appropriations.
• OBEI requests the executive budget recommendation.
• The first one is the highlights of our budget request.
• Eight of those are legislative appointees.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• UCP appropriations down to 10%.
• This revised request keeps their positions at line-item maximums with requested increases shown on the
• The spreadsheet also details the revised requests for regular salary and match appropriations, totaling
• He didn't even reply and chose to snub legislators' questions.
• legislative branch that has the right and authority to do that.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lisa King with the Legislative Analyst's Office. Good morning.
• The current-year appropriation of $1.8 million is the first state appropriation to the First Star program
• The expansion from the current-year appropriation...
• The May Revision also requests $16.2 million...
• I just want to appreciate legislative leaders and the governor for I just want to appreciate legislative

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• would also include four legislators.
• So that's an existing account that would be changed from an appropriated account to a non-appropriated
• Upon request of a legislator, the chief clerk of the House and secretary of the Senate may contract with
• Legislators may also request that the sergeant at arms for their respective chamber conduct a home security
• Upon leaving office, legislators must amortize the personal security... ...of a legislator.

Bills: HB1316, HB2401, HB2557, HB2720, HB1073, HB2685, HB2640, HB2403

Keywords: postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, commission, gender equity, boys, men, advocacy, state policy, special education, parental rights, educational access, evaluation reports, disability services, behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to start with various temporary appropriation requests.
• This is various temporary appropriation requests. B1 is the first item.
• Chair, those are all requests for various temporary appropriation.
• These are American Rescue Plan Act appropriation requests.
• This is a cash fund appropriation request.

Summary: The committee considered and approved several temporary appropriation requests in Section B, including spending authority for the Court of Appeals to pay appointed counsel in criminal appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics airport and aviation grants, and Insurance Department items for workers’ compensation benefits and premium tax refunds. It also approved ARPA-related requests in Section C to return unused federal funds from DHS aging, mental health, substance abuse, and Older Americans Act grants. In Section D, the committee reviewed and approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests, including Agriculture grants for wildfire preparedness and forestry capacity, a large Commerce broadband BEAD request, environmental recycling-related reallocations, and Oil and Gas Commission grants for facility repairs and sample preservation. Members questioned the broadband program’s audit process and performance safeguards; the State Broadband Director said the funds are federal, subject to audits, and payments are released only after engineering certification of completed work. The committee also approved DHS reallocations in Section E, including major transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical appropriations to private and public nursing home lines, as well as transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services. The committee then reviewed cash fund requests, miscellaneous federal grants, pay plan and performance fund transfers, methods of finance, and a large set of contracts. A Northwest Arkansas Community College official explained storm-damage repairs and insurance settlement issues, and DHS explained its hospital medical transfer was moving excess appropriation rather than cash. Members also questioned several UAPB tobacco prevention subgrants, especially arts-based outreach, and asked for more data on effectiveness; the committee later voted to expunge and re-refer the J-2 item for further review at a later ALC meeting. Additional discussion covered a DEQ grant to Free Geek of Arkansas for e-waste recycling, a UAPB tobacco program, and various contracts for universities, DHS services, corrections, and public safety. The meeting ended with reports filed for information and a brief member comment thanking others for concern after a tornado in Stone County; no one was injured.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, update on the legislative staff needs, the legislative branch building that you heard a little
• Much of the work that we have done was completed actually last legislative session, the 69th Legislative
• If your request is legislation, I can bring that request.
• that the request be made.
• For the Legislative Assembly, I suppose an individual member could request it.

Summary: The committee first received a general fund and revenue update from the Office of Management and Budget. Staff reported that the state started the biennium about $176 million above prior estimates, but year-to-date revenues were now running below legislative forecast, mainly due to lower individual income tax and sales tax collections. The budget stabilization fund was above its cap, the legacy fund continued to grow, and oil revenues were slightly above forecast overall. Members also asked about federal funding uncertainty and mineral leasing variability, and OMB said agencies would be asked to address potential federal reductions case by case during budget preparation. The committee then reviewed compliance reports and trust fund analysis materials, followed by a bill draft for a fixed-route city transportation grant program. Testimony from transit officials in Fargo and Minot supported the proposal, saying state aid would help match federal transit funds and support operations, but members raised questions about the funding source, fare structures, and whether the program should be limited to the current four fixed-route cities or allow future eligible cities. Several members asked for more time to study the formula and possible funding options before moving the bill forward. Next, the committee approved a bill draft repealing obsolete language related to a proposed North Dakota-South Dakota bi-state authority. Staff explained the provision had been unused for about 30 years and that existing law likely already allowed joint powers agreements without the specific language. The committee voted to adopt the repeal bill draft. The Department of Commerce and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site then provided an update on uncrewed aircraft system initiatives, including the Vantis radar data enclave, the drone replacement program, and future revenue models. Officials said North Dakota had received FAA approval to operate the radar data pathfinder, had begun replacing non-compliant drones from restricted foreign sources, and was working on phased procurement and cost-recovery plans. Members asked about deadlines, funding, supply-chain issues, and how the system would be used; staff said the federal restrictions were already in effect and that Vantis was being positioned as infrastructure for future beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. Finally, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation presented on the design of a new minimum-security prison and on a reentry housing task force. The new facility is planned for the penitentiary grounds, with a reduced estimated cost of about $263 million, 600 beds initially, possible expansion to 732 beds, and completion projected around 2031 if funded in 2027. The reentry housing task force described a data-driven effort to identify housing needs for people leaving incarceration, with the goal of reducing homelessness and recidivism through targeted housing support and possible subsidies. Members asked about staffing, site selection, housing duration, and whether employment and transportation needs would be included in the assessment.

Transcript Highlights:

• If your request is legislation, I can bring that request.
• that the request be made.
• For the legislative assembly, I mean, I suppose an individual member could request...
• For the legislative assembly, I mean, I suppose an individual member could request that.
• For the legislative assembly, I mean, I suppose an individual member could request that.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've sat on LFC and Appropriations.
• Also, on a technology front, funding was appropriated to the Legislative Council Service and the Feed
• I would like to request—I don't think it's appropriate right now because we've already approved the agenda
• to protect the Legislature's power of appropriations and the illegal use of legislative power due to
• This is a formal request for these two items to be added to the next Legislative Council meeting, and

Transcript Highlights:

• The current-year appropriation of $1.8 million is the first state appropriation to the First Star program
• The expansion from the current-year appropriation and The expansion from the current-year appropriation
• Request is building upon.
• The May revision also requests $16.2 million The May revision also requests 16.2 million ongoing federal
• I just want to appreciate legislative leaders and the Governor for I just want to appreciate legislative

Summary: The subcommittee heard May Revision proposals for higher education, beginning with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Finance proposed a one-time $10 million General Fund backfill to repay a special fund loan used to cover litigation costs, plus provisional language to allow budget flexibility for a remaining legal expense and to repay the loan without interest. The LAO opposed shifting the litigation costs to the General Fund and raised legal concerns about waiving interest on the loan, noting that special fund loans have historically been repaid with interest. Members asked about the litigation amount and the estimated interest savings, which Finance said would be about $245,000. The committee then discussed University of California funding, including the Governor’s proposed compact funding and a $1.5 million one-time increase for the First Star foster youth program at UC campuses. UC said the program has strong outcomes at UCLA, including a 100% college-going rate and high college completion rates, and that the new funding would expand the program to additional campuses and eventually be self-supporting through fundraising. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing that UC already has overlapping outreach programs, including the Early Academic Outreach Program, and that the new initiative would duplicate existing services. Several senators questioned whether the state should expand a new program instead of strengthening existing ones, while UC and Finance emphasized the program’s focus on foster youth and its high success rates. For the California Community Colleges, Finance outlined the May Revision’s increase to the Student-Centered Funding Formula COLA from 2.41% to 4.31%, along with enrollment growth funding, categorical COLAs, deferred maintenance, and other ongoing and one-time investments. The Chancellor’s Office supported the flexible “super COLA” approach and asked for more enrollment growth funding, arguing that many districts are already above current targets and that unfunded growth restricts access. The LAO recommended funding at least the statutory COLA, redirecting some ongoing funds to enrollment growth or one-time priorities, and rejecting the $9.7 million Adult Learner Demonstration Project because districts already have incentives to do similar work. Senators pressed Finance and the Chancellor’s Office on the use of COLA funds to cover the new paid pregnancy disability leave requirement, the impact on hold-harmless and basic-aid districts, and whether the state should fund actual enrollment growth rather than a flat COLA. The committee also reviewed California Student Aid Commission proposals, including adjustments to Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship funding, continued Golden State Teacher Grant funding, and implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance said the Middle Class Scholarship changes reflected updated caseload estimates and that the higher 35% unmet-need level had been one-time funding, while CSAC urged continued support and noted the importance of financial aid for student success. The LAO recommended rejecting additional Golden State Teacher Grant funding as not well-targeted and urged caution on Workforce Pell trailer bill language, citing uncertainty about federal rules, ongoing administrative workload, and the need for clearer implementation planning. Members also raised concerns about declining CADAA applications and the need to better promote state aid for undocumented and mixed-status students. No votes were taken during the transcripted portion, and the committee moved through the agenda items with questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are various temporary appropriation requests.
• These are various temporary appropriation requests.
• The appropriation was requested earlier in the agenda.
• This is the appropriation transfer request.
• These are cash fund appropriation requests.

Summary: The committee met to consider a series of temporary appropriation requests, reserve fund transfers, federal grant appropriations, and review items. Early items included a $32 million appropriation and matching reserve transfer for the Department of Education’s educational freedom account program, a $476,000 request for the State Crime Lab, and a $90,000 assessment coordination request from DFA. Members asked questions about the assessment contract costs, and the item was approved. The committee also approved a $1 ARPA return to the CDC and a Department of Human Services reallocation package that moved general revenue and positions among divisions to meet client needs. The most extensive discussion centered on a $32 million restricted reserve transfer for the educational freedom account program. Members questioned the growing number of participating students, the program’s long-term funding needs, and safeguards against improper purchases. Agency representatives said about 44,000 students were being funded, that reimbursements and marketplace purchases are reviewed, and that reporting and audit controls are in place, though not every instance of fraud can be prevented. The committee approved the transfer after discussion. Members also approved smaller cash and federal grant items, including funding for a teacher shortage data dashboard, All Kids Bike grants, crime lab outsourcing, veterans cemetery operations, and a podiatric medicine licensing investigation fund. The most contentious item was a $7 million federal Forest Legacy grant request for Central Arkansas Water and the Department of Agriculture to acquire land in the Maumelle watershed, including acreage in Perry County and Pulaski County. Members debated water quality, development pressure, property tax impacts, local support, and whether Perry County had been adequately consulted. Agency and company representatives argued the acquisition would protect drinking water, preserve forested watershed land, and support recreation, while some legislators emphasized the county’s tax and development concerns. Senator Davis moved to defer the item to the full Legislative Council and to request removal of the Perry County portion; that motion passed. The committee then reviewed the remaining items, including a Veterans Affairs pay plan request, and adjourned.