Transcript Highlights:

• And so right now there's a lot of...
• When I think of Chairman Darby, I just think of elegance generally, so. Thank you. All right.
• All right. The record shows you're Kenneth. You're here on behalf of the Texas Chapter of the U.S.
• Use the heat pump and it'll save a bunch of money, right? Absolutely. All right. Thank you.
• Right on. Thank you. Thank you. All right, members, any other questions of this witness?

Bills: HB1951 , HB2715 , HB3092 , HB3237 , HB3278 , HB3511 , HB3592 , HB3675 , HB3778 , HB3782 , HB3826 , HB3970 , HB4016 , HB4049 , HB4341 , HB4344 , HB4406 , HB4427

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• Just as a point of reference, there is an overflow room in 130 in this building. All right.
• In Texas, I'm not aware of nine; I'm aware of two. Both of them are private projects.
• All right, we're going to show that Perry Fowler has been here on behalf of Texas Water Infrastructure
• Today, there's a lot of generators out—over 35,000 megawatts of generation. is out right now doing maintenance
• So there's a lot of very specific operational reasons why this has to be the right number, and we have

Bills: HB1951 , HB2715 , HB3092 , HB3237 , HB3278 , HB3511 , HB3592 , HB3675 , HB3778 , HB3782 , HB3826 , HB3970 , HB4016 , HB4049 , HB4341 , HB4344 , HB4406 , HB4427

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• This may not be the right question to ask, but do you know what percentage of students at UTEP qualify
• This may not be the right question to ask, but do you know what percentage of students at UTT qualify
• All right, please proceed. In reference to your question, 95% of our students are local, in-state.
• So my question to you would be, besides public dollars, what other sources of private dollars has your
• Right.

Bills: HB42 , HB 125 , HB 1233 , HB2853 , HB3148 , HB3326 , HB3701 , HB4066 , HB4361 , HB4762 , HB4909 , HB4912 , HB42 , HB125

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, education funding, medical education, osteopathic medicine, healthcare workforce, Tarleton State University, industry-recognized credentials, workforce development, career opportunities, feasibility study, student fees, university funding, student union, education, UT El Paso

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met to hear several bills and first corrected the minutes from its April 1, 2025 meeting to reflect that a committee substitute for HB 271 had been adopted before the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 3326, which would help Texas higher education employees, especially adjunct faculty, qualify for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness by counting classroom hours toward full-time status, requiring institutions to verify employment within 60 days, and requiring annual notice to eligible employees. No witnesses testified against the bill, and it was left pending. Members then heard HB 2853, authorizing UTEP to phase in a student union fee increase to fund demolition and reconstruction of its aging student union. Representative Perez and UTEP student and university witnesses said the current facility is outdated and insufficient for a campus of more than 25,000 students, while some members raised concerns about the size of the fee increase and its impact on low-income students. UTEP representatives said most students receive aid, the fee would be phased in over time, and the project was student-approved; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4066, a one-line bill to abolish the Texas Research Incentive Program after the state cleared its backlog of matching obligations, with the author saying the program was no longer needed in light of newer research funding approaches. The bill was left pending. The committee spent substantial time on HB 125, which would create the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Supporters, including Tarleton leadership, the founding dean, a rural hospital CEO, and a feasibility consultant, argued the school would address severe rural physician shortages by recruiting Texas and rural students, training them in rural settings, and developing new residency slots rather than competing for existing ones. Members asked about affordability, residency placement, and whether the school would draw students from rural Texas; Tarleton said it would seek to keep tuition and debt low, had already raised private donations, and would request $25 million in state support over the biennium. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 42, which would increase the annual Higher Education Fund appropriation and adjust its allocation methodology. The chair and university witnesses described rising deferred maintenance, inflation, cybersecurity needs, and enrollment growth at HEAF-eligible institutions, with witnesses from Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, and UNT saying the additional funding would help address aging facilities and technology needs. After testimony, the committee left HB 42 pending and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, to answer your question, right, we see this right now as a way to demonstrate some the first-of-a-kind
• So under the current... statute, a student who is coming out of a private school does not qualify for
• So of your current freshman class, how many of those students came out of private schools?
• So if what we're relying on right now is 25% of that moves to 50.
• Ma'am, we'll get you a copy of 51.956. All right, very good. All right. So.

Bills: HB42 , HB 125 , HB 1233 , HB2853 , HB3148 , HB3326 , HB3701 , HB4066 , HB4361 , HB4762 , HB4909 , HB4912 , HB42 , HB125

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, education funding, medical education, osteopathic medicine, healthcare workforce, Tarleton State University, industry-recognized credentials, workforce development, career opportunities, feasibility study, student fees, university funding, student union, education, UT El Paso

Transcript Highlights:

• Right. And most people don't think of that when we talk about abortion.
• We know that 90% of deaths were preventable, which is ghastly and unacceptable, right?
• actions and diet and that kind of thing?
• Go to the right-of-way. I was just curious about the implementations.
• The best course of action to take forward, or what you mentioned, the severity of the case where there's

Bills: HB514 , HB1652 , HB2117 , HB2298 , HB3269 , HB46 , HB46

Committee: House S/C on Disease Prevention & Women's & Children's Health

Keywords: maternal health, maternal care, pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum, doula, birth worker, midwife, obstetric care, women's health, rural health, health workforce, workforce development, trauma-informed care, public outreach campaign, health equity, minority health, underserved communities, Texas Department of State Health Services, HHSC

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, some of the language was in conflict with what the FBI was...
• Right now, some of the language was in conflict with what the FBI was approving, and they have them on
• separation of powers issue, right?
• It also would allow for clemency for those victims of those crimes. All right.
• I respectfully request your support of this bill, members. All right. Do we have a motion?

Bills: HB75 , SB134 , SB201 , SB258 , SB288 , SB313 , SB320 , SB321 , SB325 , SB339 , SB345 , SB393 , SB422 , SB440 , SB470 , SB487 , SB523

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Keywords: HB75, Act 963, gaming, casino gaming, promotional play, promotional wagers, slot machine proceeds, net gaming proceeds, gross revenue, taxable revenue, gaming operators, gaming tax, Louisiana gaming, gaming revenue deduction, casino tax, gaming promotion, revenue cap, pilot program, child sexual abuse materials, sexting

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd want to remind you of a couple of things.
• There is no type of bond required that That they own that private line once they walk away, it's the
• There is no record in most places of who installed your private lines.
• graduated kind of license promotions right from someone who is working their way toward a journeyman's
• This also implements a homeowner's bill of rights, which we think will be helpful for our Oklahoma citizens

Bills: SB1241 , SB1242 , SB1442 , SB1592 , SB1623 , SB1625 , SB1913 , SB1940 , SB1949 , SB2102 , SB592 , SB992

Committee: Senate Business and Insurance

Keywords: ticket sales, resale, consumer protection, fraud, bots, transparency, refunds, event tickets, medical marijuana, cannabis, marijuana license, commercial grower, grow operation, bond requirement, land reclamation fee, revolving fund, environmental remediation, redevelopment, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, OMMA

Transcript Highlights:

• All right. Thank you. Anybody in the audience in opposition of this? All right.
• All right. Anybody, just by a show of hands, people in the audience in support of this legislation?
• All right. Anybody, just by a show of hands, people in the audience in support of this legislation?
• All right, our last bill of the night is Senate Bill 235.
• and leaving a lot of times, right?

Bills: SB251 , SB150 , SB154 , SB73 , SB111 , SB172 , SB76 , SB181 , SB235

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: horse racing, program training, program owning, state licensing, racehorses, regulation, local news, newspaper printing, journalism, media tax credit, print media, digital news, news publisher, newsprint, press operator, printing industry, local journalism, tax credit, income tax, corporate income tax

Bills: SB251 , SB150 , SB154 , SB73 , SB111 , SB172 , SB76 , SB181 , SB235

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: horse racing, program training, program owning, state licensing, racehorses, regulation, local news, newspaper printing, journalism, media tax credit, print media, digital news, news publisher, newsprint, press operator, printing industry, local journalism, tax credit, income tax, corporate income tax

Bills: SB251 , SB150 , SB154 , SB73 , SB111 , SB172 , SB76 , SB181 , SB235

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: horse racing, program training, program owning, state licensing, racehorses, regulation, local news, newspaper printing, journalism, media tax credit, print media, digital news, news publisher, newsprint, press operator, printing industry, local journalism, tax credit, income tax, corporate income tax

Transcript Highlights:

• Dear Heavenly Father, as we come to the last day of our first week of session, thank you for what you
• May we remember we are stewards, not owners of this position as Mark 10:45 says, 'For even the Son of
• 250th anniversary of our nation.
• And so we have in front of us Just a remarkable group of men here, Mr. President.
• And whereas the actions of these officers contributed to the protection and rescue of civilians, the

Bills: SB1333 , SB1191 , SB1439 , SB1314 , SB1509 , SB1319 , SB1346 , SB1613

Keywords: water infrastructure, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, revolving fund, grants, environmental compliance, SB1191, Oklahoma Energy Initiative Act, Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative Board, low carbon energy, clean energy, energy policy, renewable energy, board repeal, statutory repeal, administrative board, energy committee, natural resources, Oklahoma statutes, 17 O.S. 802.3, fossil fuels

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill requires the Department of Commerce to conduct a study on the feasibility of developing an
• include a private right of action.
• of electric service to Washington customers by pursuing a number of activities.
• It includes highway facilities of the state when directing WITA to seek the maximum use of existing rights-of-way
• If we need to, by the Department of Energy emergency clause or other actions, we need to get all those

Bills: SB6124 , SB6171 , SB6284 , SB5609 , SB6172 , SB6246 , SB5932 , SB6269 , SB6223 , SB5975

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: appliance affordability, cost index, energy efficiency, consumer protection, Washington state, energy facilities, large energy consumers, regulation, environment, sustainability, artificial intelligence, data privacy, technological impacts, cultural resources, land use, environmental policy, exemptions, state laws, Washington climate policy, greenhouse gas

Transcript Highlights:

• Evidence of groundwater availability in the vicinity of a proposed subdivision is crucial.
• Over the last 20 years, to the tune of, well, in 2022, there were 2,300 private water wells drilled.
• Most of them are occurring in subdivisions that are being plotted with the private.
• In other words, just to cut to the quick of it, a lot of groundwater is being used.
• of millions of dollars statewide.

Bills: SB612 , SB1855 , SB2568 , SB3058 , HB49

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: SB 612, Texas Water Code, Section 49.2127, conservation and reclamation district, water district, reclamation district, developer fees, pipeline construction, water pipeline, sewer pipeline, associated infrastructure, subdivision infrastructure, cost recovery, fee cap, actual reasonable documented costs, engineering fees, legal fees, inspection fees, infrastructure relocation, utility connections

Transcript Highlights:

• Right, and I'd like the right to close, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Of course, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
• All right, sir, you are David Dawson. You're here on behalf of Winstead.
• You're in favor of this bill? I sure am. All right. Thank you.
• At the same time, we have to respect the essential rights of all students and the rights of our property
• A couple of points on that, and you're absolutely right.

Bills: HB249 , HB 1186 , HB2313 , HB2408 , HB2508 , HB2730 , HB2974 , HB3045 , HB3232 , HB3336 , HB3710 , HB4044 , HB4236 , HJR133 , HB249

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: ad valorem taxes, property taxes, homestead exemption, disabled veterans, senior citizens, tax payments, installment payments, municipal tax revenue, hotel, convention center, tax code, economic development, local government, municipality, tax revenue, qualified projects, municipal taxation, hotel project, municipality funding, veteran

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, there's a lot of bills on the calendar, yeah, right? You know, you saw it on the wall.
• All right, there's a lot of bills on the calendar. Yeah, right? You know, you saw it on the wall.
• There's a lot of new names and a lot of new faces for me, so I might not have them all exactly right,
• All right, Mr. Vice Chair, move the bill of the first amendment. Mr.
• Nguyen thinks this is more of an environmental bill than anything else, right? Right. Okay.

Bills: HB2014 , HB2055 , HB2145 , HB2150 , HB2696 , HB2755 , HB2763 , HB2781 , HB2782 , HB2787 , HB2795 , HB2889 , HB2975 , HB2985 , HB2986 , HCM2009 , HCR2020 , HCR2038

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

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, brackish groundwater, water supply development, desalination, Arizona Revised Statutes, water infrastructure, financial assistance, environmental reviews, fuel reformulation, gasoline standards, environmental regulations, ethanol supply, Air Quality, state land department, mineral lease, renewals

Transcript Highlights:

• And so you're exactly right that there are a lot of federal matching opportunities.
• And most of the bill you will see is specific definitions of the covered liability action and those whom
• So, the source of the action Isn't it important who is actually being sued in follow-up? Thank you.
• First, I wanted to know how modifying the spacing of wells impacts the rights of adjacent landowners
• So, what this does is it puts an extra layer of protection to say you can't get right up against somebody

Bills: SB1191 , SB1314 , SB1319 , SB1333 , SB1346 , SB1439 , SB1509 , SB1510 , SB1613

Committee: Senate Energy

Keywords: SB1191, Oklahoma Energy Initiative Act, Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative Board, low carbon energy, clean energy, energy policy, renewable energy, board repeal, statutory repeal, administrative board, energy committee, natural resources, Oklahoma statutes, 17 O.S. 802.3, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention, regulatory compliance, SB1319

Transcript Highlights:

• All right. Thank you, Jacob. Are there any questions of staff on this bill?
• Go right ahead. Good morning, Madam Chair and members of this committee.
• Go right ahead. Good morning, Madam Chair and members of this committee.
• All right, thank you, Jacob. Are there any questions of staff on this bill?
• Go right ahead. Thank you, Madam Chair, and members of the committee.

Bills: SB5904 , SB5915 , SB6025 , SB5933 , SB5990 , SB5981

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: nursing titles, licensure, healthcare professionals, patient safety, professional standards, SB 5915, health technology assessment, HTA, clinical committee, medical technology review, coverage determination, state-purchased health care, Washington health care, RCW, evidence-based medicine, cost-effectiveness, safety and efficacy, Medicare coverage, national coverage determination, clinical guidelines

Transcript Highlights:

• A couple of more staying Right there Where's Richard Okay, all right, all right, we'll just fix 682.
• of Collin County.
• The district's located partially within the ETJ. of the city of Conroe and within the ETJ of the city
• of Magnolia.
• The city of Stagecoach, none of these cities have voiced opposition to House Bill 5681.

Bills: HB769 , HB2132 , HB3383 , HB3792 , HB5431 , HB5682 , HB5677 , HB5678 , HB5680 , HB5681 , HB5683 , HB5684 , HB5685 , HB5686 , HB4078

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: environmental regulation, sustainability, business compliance, state oversight, local control, pollution, renewable resources, grant program, neighborhood organization, pedestrian infrastructure, Texas Department of Housing, financial assistance, neighborhood organizations, grants, urban development, safety, public safety, housing development, low income housing, tax credits

Transcript Highlights:

• The purchasing agent serves under the pleasure of the Board of Judges.
• And so this would allow us, right now it is allowed, but the Board of Judges has to give up that power
• the Board of Judges.
• The bill seeks to strike the right balance of preserving administrative flexibility for sheriffs while
• All right. Thank you. We'll let you reserve your right to close.

Bills: HB2814 , HB4477 , HB5084 , HB5108 , HB5127 , HB5383 , HB5611 , HB5663 , HB5664 , SB1563 , HB2668 , HB3841 , HB4114

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: juvenile justice, release documents, children, identification, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, civil service, staffing requirements, local government, positions exemption, Texas legislation, fireworks, Lunar New Year, retail permits, public safety, Texas law, holiday sales, HB 5108, deaths in custody, custodial death, jail death

Transcript Highlights:

• Whatever we can do to help this happen, it's important to a lot of people. All right.
• We will do that regardless of whether this bill becomes law or not. All right, thank you.
• All right. Representative Lowe. Hi. Thank you. I'm kind of new here, so...
• Go right ahead. I testify on behalf of myself in favor of the bill.
• All right, Shannon, we have you registered as Shannon Brinkley, testifying on behalf of Power.

Bills: HB2814 , HB4477 , HB5084 , HB5108 , HB5127 , HB5383 , HB5611 , HB5663 , HB5664 , SB1563 , HB2668 , HB3841 , HB4114

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: juvenile justice, release documents, children, identification, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, civil service, staffing requirements, local government, positions exemption, Texas legislation, fireworks, Lunar New Year, retail permits, public safety, Texas law, holiday sales, HB 5108, deaths in custody, custodial death, jail death