Bills: HB265, HB146, SB254, HB202, HB3, HB42, SB18

Keywords: resisting arrest, penalties, criminal justice, law enforcement, public safety, youthful offender, capital murder, victims' rights, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, illegal alien, enhanced sentencing, criminal offenses, minor victims, felonies, Alabama legislature, bail reform, cash deposit

Bills: SB2, SB3, SB5, SB9, SB10, SB14, SB16, SB34, SB18

Keywords: flooding, public safety, outdoor warning sirens, disaster preparedness, emergency response, flood warning, outdoor sirens, local government, safety measures, flood management, emergency preparedness, municipal safety, disaster response, disaster relief, emergency funding, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, hemp regulation, consumable products

Summary: The Senate Committee on Finance met in the second special session and considered a series of bills, mostly related to flood response, water infrastructure, taxation, school accountability, property fraud, and legislative procedure. Senator Zaffirini presented SB 18 on TCEQ permit exemptions for certain erosion, floodwater, and sediment control dams or reservoirs; Senator Perry presented SB 2 on flood relief preparedness, SB 14 on credit impact fees and water supply/conservation incentives, and SB 5 on Hill Country relief funding; Senator Bettencourt presented SB 3 on early warning flood sirens, SB 9 on replacing STAAR with three annual tests and strengthening A-F accountability, and SB 10 on lowering the rollback tax rate from 3.5% to 2.5%; Senator West presented SB 16 on property transaction ID requirements and new real property theft/fraud offenses; and Chair Huffman laid out SB 34, which changes legislative witness immunity rules from transactional immunity to testimonial immunity consistent with federal law. The committee also heard brief explanations that several bills were the same as versions previously passed by the Senate or committee, and there was limited public testimony, with no witnesses on most bills and only position cards on SB 16. Senator West raised a concern on SB 10 about a possible carve-out for police pay raises, but Senator Bettencourt said no change would be made at that time. For SB 34, Chair Huffman explained the bill would still allow compelled testimony before the legislature but would no longer provide blanket immunity, while preserving the right to counsel. The committee voted favorably on all bills considered. SB 18, SB 2, SB 14, SB 3, SB 16, SB 5, and SB 34 were reported out unanimously or near-unanimously, while SB 9 passed 10-1 and SB 10 passed 8-3. At the end of the meeting, Senator West requested to be shown voting nay on SB 9, and the chair granted unanimous consent. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• if a reporter gathers evidence and their actions later prevent that evidence from being used in a criminal
• if a reporter gathers evidence and their actions later prevent that evidence from being used in a criminal
• the fact that many departments like mine intentionally separate human resource investigations from criminal

Bills: HB126, HB121

Keywords: election laws, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, voting integrity, education, property values, school districts, comptroller, funding formula

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to hear testimony on a full agenda of education-related bills. Several measures were laid out and left pending, including HB 322 to allow JET Grant funds to be used for subscription-based and ongoing technology costs for career and technical education; HB 3062 to require fentanyl and drug-poisoning prevention instruction for entering college students; HB 121 to update school safety laws, including TEA peace officer commissions, annual renewal of certain safety exceptions, new reporting requirements, and special education behavior threat assessment changes; HB 3627 to let the State Board of Education chair employ staff; HB 5515 to curb inflated shipping and handling charges on instructional materials; HB 2674 to prohibit new state regulation of homeschool programs; HB 2310 to require a statewide strategic plan for early learning and inclusion for young children with disabilities; HB 367 to standardize documentation for excused absences due to serious illness; HB 1178 to speed certification for out-of-state educators and military spouses; and HB 1481 to expand cell phone restrictions to the full school day. Testimony was generally supportive on most bills, with some concerns raised on HB 121 about school district police departments investigating misconduct and on HB 2674 about how it would interact with the new ESA program in SB 2. HB 5515 drew support from instructional materials coordinators who described extreme shipping invoices and argued the bill would restore transparency and fiscal responsibility. HB 2310 was supported by disability advocates and early learning groups, who said a coordinated state plan would improve access and inclusion for children with disabilities. HB 367 was presented as a simple clarification to reduce confusion for medically vulnerable students and families, and HB 1178 was described by TEA as a modest pathway that would help bring experienced out-of-state teachers into Texas schools more quickly. HB 126, updating Texas’ NIL law to align with the pending House settlement and allow direct payments and pre-enrollment NIL agreements, received extensive testimony from university counsel and committee questioning about the settlement, recruiting, and future college athletics rules. HB 1481, expanding school cell phone restrictions from instructional time to the entire school day, drew strong support from parents, students, educators, and advocates who linked phones to distraction, cyberbullying, and mental health harms; one teacher asked for flexibility so phones could still be used for limited academic tasks. No bills were voted out; each measure heard was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee then recessed to attend the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today is May 6, 2026, and this is the hearing of the Criminal Justice Committee. Mr.
• Welcome to the Capitol and welcome to criminal justice. Thank you all so much.
• Which is why I think we have Code of Criminal Procedure Article 313.
• Welcome back to criminal justice, Senator Meisel.
• She said that once the database exists, these bills will no longer be needed.

Bills: HCR50, HB123, HB219, HB251, HB404, HB769, HB1065, SB58, SB81, SB92, SB97, SB141, SB156, SB181, SB207, SB396, SB410

Keywords: electronic monitoring, GPS ankle monitor, ankle bracelet, pretrial release, post-conviction supervision, bail monitoring, house arrest, corrections, criminal justice, law enforcement, prosecuting authority, court reporting, provider registration, LCLE, Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice, data privacy, personal information, cybersecurity, confidentiality, monitoring violations

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee met on May 6, 2026, and first considered SB 396, which would allow children in Office of Juvenile Justice custody to attend review hearings by secure video conference. After adopting an amendment to clarify the in-person six-month review requirement and require OJJ staff to participate virtually as well, the committee reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee then took up SB 181, which creates a limited raffle license for nonprofit health care organizations and allows related entities within a health system to operate under one charitable gaming license; after adopting the amendment, the bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee next debated SB 81 and SB 97, companion measures dealing with waiver of jury trials in non-capital felony cases. Supporters, including the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, argued that requiring prosecutorial consent would align Louisiana with federal practice and many other states and would reduce abuse of jury-trial waivers. Opponents, including criminal defense lawyers, the ACLU, and Vote, argued the bills would shift power to the state, reduce defendants’ control over their mode of trial, and could worsen delays and pressure on jailed defendants. SB 81 and SB 97 both passed on divided roll-call votes, 7-3. The committee also reported SB 207 favorably, extending the prescriptive period for certain public corruption offenses to 10 years after an elected official or public employee leaves office; SB 92, requiring district attorneys to submit sexual assault kits to the statewide tracking system; SB 156, increasing the maximum penalty for negligent homicide, with a technical amendment; SB 58, imposing a mandatory minimum for aggravated flight from an officer and dedicating fine proceeds to pursuit training/technology; SB 141, moving the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board to the Louisiana Supreme Court; and SB 410, creating enhanced penalties for accessories after the fact to sex offenses. Later, HB 769, dealing with a holding period for certain domestic violence-related offenders, was reported favorably as amended after debate over its relationship to existing “Gwen’s Law” procedures, and HB 251, requiring notice to victims or families in resentencing matters, was also reported favorably as amended after concerns about post-conviction procedure and possible duplication of existing notice requirements. The committee additionally voluntarily deferred HB 404 and heard HCR 50, which calls for reporting on opioid abatement and treatment programs in correctional facilities and clarification of funding guidance.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas A&M currently uses a database that tracks emergency response equipment and fire stations across
• What this bill does is enhance and upgrade the database so that... the information is accessible to fire
• The database must include equipment descriptions, fire department contact information, and allow searches

Bills: SB480, SB767, SB790, SB971, SB1066

Keywords: water resources, interlocal contracts, local government, collaboration, planning activities, wildfire response, firefighting equipment, emergency services, state database, Texas Forest Service, customer complaints, Public Utility Commission, water service, complaint process, utility regulation, SB 971, Texas Water Assistance Program, Water Code, rural political subdivision, rural water

Bills: HB25, HB15, HB124, HB146, HB73, HB74, HB75

Keywords: juvenile delinquency, firearm possession, criminal background checks, state law, gun control, youth offense, conviction, public safety, medical injury, adverse outcome, health care provider, patient rights, confidentiality, settlement, legal counsel, HB124, New Americans Division, Workforce Solutions Department, immigrant workforce, refugee resettlement

Transcript Highlights:

• Resolution Task Force 85 recommended that we bring our people home, and so did the Native Hawaiian Criminal
• I couldn't take him because he has a criminal history.
• Um, when actually that criminal history would be very beneficial to our office.

Bills: HB1769

Keywords: criminal justice reform, rehabilitation, private prisons, racial equity, Native Hawaiians, community well-being, mass incarceration, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1769, which would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to incrementally reduce the number of people incarcerated in private out-of-state correctional institutions. The DCR director opposed the bill, saying the department does not control overall prison population levels because courts determine admissions, and arguing that Hawaiʻi’s in-state facilities are already over capacity, especially Halawa, which he said is 165% over design capacity. He said only a small portion of the population is under departmental control through furlough programs and argued that bringing people home would require building a new medium-security prison. Supporters, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, the Public Defender’s office, and several individuals, argued the bill creates a phased, accountable path to reduce reliance on mainland prisons and bring people home. Supporters emphasized the harms of separating incarcerated people from ʻohana and culture, the disproportionate impact on Native Hawaiians, and the need for diversion, treatment, re-entry support, and fair sentencing. Several testifiers also said the department has more control than it claimed, pointing to underused furlough options, reclassification, and empty beds at some in-state facilities, while others urged clearer statutory language and guardrails. Members questioned the director about whether people could be reclassified or moved to available beds at facilities such as Kulani and Waiawa, and about whether the department could do more through staffing and contract changes. The director said some proposals had been sent to the Department of Human Resource Development, but that major facility changes would be costly and that minimum-security facilities would need substantial upgrades to house medium-security inmates. After discussion, the chair said the committee would defer HB 1769 to Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. for decision-making and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do testing for criminal prosecutions.
• So, we have a very large criminal investigation ongoing.
• Criminals overnight.
• I'm not a lazy stoner, a criminal, or an unstable patient.
• Would possession of this package count as one criminal offense, or is it a separate criminal offense

Bills: HB5

Keywords: hemp, cannabinoids, regulation, occupational licenses, consumable products, marketing, criminal offenses, labeling requirements, health and safety, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, the criminal statute was repealed. In 2023, we passed the Health Care Freedom Act.
• By mandating these names to be recorded in government databases, we are inadvertently creating a roadmap
• We believe that abortion reporting requirements are harmful because they fuel criminalization and put
• In a time when we are seeing a rise in pregnancy criminalization and a culture of surveillance around
• The all-payer claims database. And the Guttmacher data actually does...

Bills: SB30, SB43, SB50, SB136

Keywords: SB30, induced abortion, abortion reporting, vital statistics, public health reporting, medical records, health care providers, repeal, New Mexico, pregnancy termination, abortion data, state reporting requirements, confidentiality, reproductive health, parole, life imprisonment, rehabilitation, criminal justice, victim rights, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• From a legal standpoint, we've never had a definition of 'cost judgment' or 'criminal judgment.'
• Number one is a criminal or a cost judgment, and you know how that implements with the Title 28 Section
• This isn't a criminal action, and this is. AVP, we're talking about a VPO, which is a civil action.
• Yeah, and court case, you're saying a criminal case, and that makes sense.
• This impacts or modifies the criminal discovery process that we use in the state.

Bills: HB2650, HB3277, HB3386, HB3419, HB3430, HB3742, HB3791, HB3835, HB3905, HB3968, HB4119, HB4153, HB4408

Keywords: probate, estate administration, summary administration, decedent, inheritance, vehicle inspection, title registration, salvage vehicles, ownership, Oklahoma Statutes, evictions, forcible entry, mediation, residency proof, children, housing law, corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law

Bills: HB2, HB27, HB54, HB49, HB58, HB40, HB38, HB43, HB2, HB27, HB40, HB38, HB43, HB54, HB49, HB58

Keywords: vaccination, parental consent, minors, medical consent, guardian approval, sex offender, employment, first responder, childcare, public safety, juvenile protection, emergency orders, child custody, court authority, abuse and neglect, firearm possession, law enforcement, criminal penalty, concealed carry, Alabama law

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the criminal sanction, you can be required to pay child support as part of your criminal penalty
• That the criminal action as far as the criminal penalty for the child support payments would not come
• Um, I would see it as the court would do what the court on the criminal side wants to do as far as the
• on the criminal side for that child or children, and that would be the goal.
• I don't do criminal work, so I don't know about that. But that's for another day.

Bills: SB210, SB176, SB167, SB244, SB218, SB9, SB153, SB9

Keywords: hospital liens, medical billing, government healthcare, insurance claims, patient rights, controlled substances, unlawful distribution, marijuana, violent offense, sentencing guidelines, criminal justice, DUI, driving under the influence, drunk driving, fatal crash, vehicular homicide, child support, survivor benefits, orphaned child, guardian death

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice will come to order. Clerk, call the roll.
• I try to just update our penal and criminal statutes to keep up with the progress and the Senator Hinojosa
• A grant program will continue to exist with the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor's Office in
• And we made it just the city enabling, and then we have the Governor's Criminal Justice Grant Program
• This provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure was established when newspapers were more widely read

Bills: HB 33, HB 45, HB 48, HB 1261, HB 1465, HB 1778, HB 2596, HB 5238, SB 2969

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• The criminal side does not have those kind of revenue streams.
• But it’s in CDC, not criminal district court.
• One's civil, one's criminal.
• And why eliminate the criminal district clerk?
• Duncan, who is the criminal district clerk.

Bills: SB256

Keywords: court consolidation, judicial administrative, Orleans Parish, civil district court, criminal district court, court clerk, judicial funding, 965, house, all

Bills: SF0087, SF0111

Keywords: felony, law enforcement, police officer, criminal penalties, public safety, select committee, gaming, regulation, Wyoming law, community impact, 916, all

Bills: SF0087, SF0111

Keywords: felony, law enforcement, police officer, criminal penalties, public safety, select committee, gaming, regulation, Wyoming law, community impact, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1666 would require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to include the victim's last name
• simple fact of is that there's false allegations and now you have to go to the civil or possible criminal
• Therefore, this bill would increase the criminal penalty for assaulting a peace officer, patrol officer
• classified as a class A misdemeanor, which is obviously very low. 195 196 197 Well, it increases the criminal

Bills: SB127, SB456, SB482, SB659, SB739, SB816, SB1234, SB1666, SB1886, SB1980, SB2580, SB2611, SB2693, SB2776

Keywords: child abuse, reporting obligation, statute of limitations, negligence, legal professionals, human organs, criminal penalties, physician license, medical ethics, illegal trade, smuggling, human trafficking, felony offenses, law enforcement, authorized peace officer, peace officer definition, tracking equipment, communications access, electronic surveillance, cell phone records

Transcript Highlights:

• The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice will now come to order.
• When Polaris, a national database that advises Congress on how to spend health and human services monies
• which criminal law is.
• statute, under that section, the prosecution, that... ...because that was a criminal statute.
• You know, that's in the prosecution, that's in the criminal statute, but it wasn't brought over.

Bills: S0164, S0656, S0892

Keywords: wrongful death, unborn child, civil liability, medical provider, parental rights, habitual felony offenders, violent crimes, enhanced penalties, criminal justice, recidivism

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from Miami-Dade State Attorney Catherine Fernandez-Rundle on human trafficking, describing Florida’s high victim counts, the role of online recruitment, common victim and trafficker profiles, and several case examples involving sexual exploitation, labor trafficking, and interstate trafficking. She highlighted Miami-Dade’s task force model, partnerships with law enforcement, schools, businesses, and shelters such as Camillus House’s Project Phoenix and the Thrive Clinic, and said the office relies heavily on technology, training, and victim-centered prosecution. Members asked about school-based trafficking, warning signs, social media platforms, and information-sharing about offenders across states; Fernandez-Rundle said more training and better interstate communication are still needed. The committee then took up CS for SB 656, which would codify FDLE’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Funding Program and rename/expand the online sting operations grant program to better support investigations, training, technology, and personnel. The bill was supported as a timely tool to combat online child exploitation and was reported favorably on a unanimous roll call. The committee also passed SB 892, which streamlines sentencing procedures for habitual felony offenders and related violent offender designations by clarifying notice and clemency-related paperwork requirements; it too was reported favorably unanimously. The remainder of the meeting focused on SB 164, which expands Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to allow parents to recover civil damages for the death of an unborn child. The sponsor said the bill is intended to recognize unborn children in civil law and allow recovery when a pregnancy is lost due to another’s negligence. Opponents from the ACLU, reproductive rights groups, medical insurers, and domestic violence advocates argued the bill is overly broad, could function as fetal personhood legislation, and could expose doctors, friends, family members, businesses, and abusive partners to lawsuits while chilling medical care, IVF, and pregnancy-related treatment. Supporters from pro-life organizations urged broader language and stronger protections for unborn children. No vote on SB 164 was taken in the portion provided.

Bills: HB101, HB290

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding, PFAS, agriculture, criminal offense, pollution, Johnson County, environmental regulation

Bills: HB101, HB290

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding, PFAS, agriculture, criminal offense, pollution, Johnson County, environmental regulation