Transcript Highlights:

• We're also currently deployed in the Florida Keys, supporting border security operations and providing
• Border security operations, providing 39 service members in four aircraft in support of Operation Vigilant
• And we continue to provide rotational units to Texas in support of security efforts along the southwest
• border.
• However, if you cross the border unlawfully and then you check in with Border Patrol, then you have lawful

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met to organize for the session, take roll, and hear introductory remarks from members and agency heads. Members briefly introduced themselves and their districts, with several noting transportation, economic development, emergency response, military, and hurricane recovery issues in their areas. Chair Shove then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction and current-year budget, noting a total of about $20.3 billion, with most funding coming from trust funds and only a small share from general revenue. The committee also heard that upcoming meetings would include presentations from major agencies in the subcommittee’s purview. The first agency presentation was from the Department of Military Affairs and the Florida National Guard. Major General John Haas described the Guard’s three missions—supporting national security, responding to state emergencies, and adding value to the state—and highlighted deployments for hurricanes, border security support, and ongoing support to the Department of Corrections. He emphasized that the Guard is understrength relative to Florida’s size and demand, said recruiting is strong, and identified force structure growth as the main challenge. Members asked about aircraft, funding sources, and recruiting; Haas explained the Guard’s helicopter and fixed-wing fleet, said aircraft purchases are funded through legislative appropriations, and reported strong interest in the Florida State Guard’s recruiting pipeline. Executive Director Mark Thieme then described the Florida State Guard’s expansion into air, ground, and maritime capabilities, including Black Hawks, boats, drones, canine search-and-rescue teams, and ground support units. He said the agency supported immigration enforcement and hurricane response, and asked for continued legislative support to expand aviation, maritime, and medical capabilities. Members praised the Guard’s disaster response work and asked about aircraft, funding, and staffing. Secretary Cord Byrd of the Department of State followed, focusing on election administration, election security, the SunBiz and voter registration IT systems, arts and culture, corporations, libraries, and historical resources. He said Florida’s election system remains a national model, reported two prosecutions for non-citizen voting, and discussed modernization needs for legacy IT systems. The committee also asked about voter lookup tools, password privacy for SunBiz, and arts funding vetoes. Secretary Alex Kelly of the Department of Commerce described the agency’s broad portfolio, including workforce, economic, community, and international commerce functions, plus housing recovery, broadband, small business support, rural infrastructure, defense-community grants, and law enforcement recruitment bonuses. He said access to capital is the biggest barrier for small businesses and noted ongoing work with CareerSource, the Department of Corrections, and other partners on workforce and reentry. Secretary Jared Perdue of the Department of Transportation then outlined FDOT’s record budget and five-year work program, emphasizing emergency response, preservation and maintenance, safety, and major investments in roads, ports, airports, transit, and spaceport infrastructure. He said the department has removed millions of cubic yards of storm debris, is ahead of schedule on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, and faces a large unfunded project backlog. Members asked about supply chain issues, project priorities, and workforce needs, and Perdue said FDOT is open to collaboration on recruitment and retention.

Transcript Highlights:

• in economic relief that I secured for our Texas farmers.
• that I secured for our Texas farmers. that I secured for our Texas farmers.
• They failed to uphold and to hold the Mexican government accountable and secure the water that Texas
• run deep in our great state of Texas. run deep in our great state of Texas.
• gentleoman from Texas, Miss Johnson. gentleoman from Texas, Miss Johnson.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Have completely open borders? Mr.
• So we're going to deport these people to Texas and other states to be held in Texas.
• And if they're in New Mexico and they're sent over to Texas, they'd have to travel to Texas.
• Some live in Texas. And perhaps, Mr.
• Trailers in Oklahoma and Texas.

Bills: HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25, HB9, SB2, SB19

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Transcript Highlights:

• border, increasing.
• border, increasing.
• border, increasing.
• border, increasing.
• <01:46:26.520> and border that we strengthen the border and border that we strengthen the

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kalahari wants to expand in Texas.
• They want to expand their Texas presence and has chosen North Texas.
• They want to expand their Texas presence and have chosen North Texas, Collin County.
• Just for every dollar saved, both the Texas DMV and the Texas Comptroller's Office have reviewed the
• Texas Best Beach needs Texas Best Beach Convention Hotel. Very good. Thanks, sir.

Summary: The committee heard a long series of bills, most of them expanding or adjusting hotel occupancy tax or qualified hotel project authority for specific local governments. Measures discussed included HB 2404 for Childress County; HB 3066 for Allen’s Kalahari resort project; HB 4682 for Plano; HB 4683 for Anna; HB 3076 creating a project finance zone in Frisco; HB 3567 for Wichita County; HB 3715 for McAllen; HB 1039 for Alpine; HB 3182 for Burleson; HB 4926 for Grimes County; HB 4222 for Victoria County; HB 3377 for Katy; HB 4659 for Addison; HB 3241 for Georgetown; HB 4098 for Taylor; HB 3178 for Kerr County; HB 3179 for Mason County; HB 2289 for New Braunfels; HB 4412 for Kermit; HB 5165 for Monahans; HB 3500 for Bastrop; and HB 3169 for Carrollton. In each case, authors and local officials described tourism, convention, hotel, airport, or mixed-use development needs and argued the bills would help attract visitors, investment, and jobs. One non-hotel-tax bill, HB 4226, would exempt Texas food banks from sales tax on vehicle purchases and rentals, with testimony emphasizing the scale of food bank operations and the savings’ impact on meal delivery and disaster response. Testimony was generally supportive from city officials, economic development representatives, and industry groups such as the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association. Several witnesses described major private projects, including Kalahari in Allen, a proposed hotel and conference center in Addison, a mixed-use project in Georgetown, and a large development tied to Samsung growth in Taylor. For HB 4226, food bank representatives said the bill would help them purchase refrigerated trucks and other delivery vehicles, while an opponent questioned the fiscal note and the scope of the exemption. HB 4926 drew opposition from Camp Allen, whose representative argued a new county hotel tax would raise costs for guests and could hurt the retreat center’s operations. HB 3178 also drew an objection from a Kerr County resident who argued the tax would grow county government and pointed to event center losses, though the author said the revenue would support tourism-related county uses. The committee took no final votes on the bills in this transcript. After each bill was laid out and testimony concluded, the chair repeatedly asked whether there was objection to leaving the bill pending; in each instance, no objection was heard, and the bills were left pending. Several committee substitutes were offered and then withdrawn or noted as conforming drafts, but no bill was reported out or otherwise acted on beyond being left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Commissioner, Texas State Securities Board.
• , Texas State Securities Board.
• I am the Deputy Securities Commissioner of the Texas State Securities Board.
• I am the Deputy Securities Commissioner of the Texas State Securities Board.
• The Texas State Securities Board is one of the oldest securities regulators in the nation.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In response to Texas, you know, California does it if Texas does it.
• The actions of the Texas legislature to follow the demands of the federal DOJ just to... to secure the
• I am a Texas...
• Stand up for Texas.
• For Texas, your service to Texas, and for this opportunity to speak.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 22.880> our<00:19:23.039> border<00:19:23.520> and keep fighting to secure our border
• On the safety front, it is clear that our border is once again secured.
• Border is once again secured. A 99% reduction of people coming through the border.
• Eight, it invests $10 billion in border security or more.
• Eight, it invests 10 billion in border Eight, it invests 10 billion in border security<05:52:13.600

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I yield back. security recipients, working moms, and security recipients, working moms, and the<02:13
• <02:45:13.279> in Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas in Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas in
• Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, in September 2022, and then released by the Biden administration,
• We need to fund all of homeland security so that we can keep the border closed.
• border.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We can secure our borders without terrorizing our neighbors.
• We can secure our borders<00:55:45.280> with<00:55:45.599> without<00:55:46.000> terrorizing
• Security. Security.
• Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, and Transportation Security Administration, you do critical
• Investigations, Customs and Security Investigations, Customs and Border<03:19:58.080> Protection,<

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is John Scott, and I'm the Chief of School Safety and Security at the Texas Education Agency.
• I'm here on behalf of the Sheriff's Association of Texas. ...of Texas President.
• My youngest son is in his third year serving Texas as a Texas Game Warden.
• Texas Penal Code 49.031.
• If y'all are not familiar, Newton County is in the far east of Texas on the Louisiana border.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas flag. Honor the Texas flag.
• We as the Texas House want to thank the local the Texas Forest Service and Texas Department of Emergency
• HB 738 by Gervin Hawkins, relating to the creation by the Texas Department of Homeland Security of the
• Recreation and Tourism, HCR 40 by Gerties, urging Congress to reimburse the state of Texas for border
• For the costs incurred in securing the southern border, I refer to the Committee on Homeland Security

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How does a large border state like Texas react to hospitals placing billboards in Mexico, urging pregnant
• I mean, they're born in Texas, so they're going to have a Texas birth certificate.
• it the way Texas wants.
• Picture of surrogacy in Texas, showing it to be overall safe and secure in our state.
• You only practice in Texas? Yes, I'm only licensed in Texas.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some states like Texas next door have done an awesome job with that with their Texas SURE program.
• The next one down, E 103 91, that's a new border connector highway.
• On that project, a portion is within Texas.
• Called the border highway connector. Right.
• Yeah, the border highway connector, right? Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to spend about another $300 billion in this bill for defense and border security.
• Do we have the resources necessary to secure the border and the fees to pay for it?
• We're securing borders. Apprehensions are down 94%.
• We're securing borders.<04:37:29.439> Apprehensions<04:37:30.080> are<04:37:30.240>
• <04:40:15.600> a<04:40:16.480> historic Texas where Texas went from a historic Texas

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 1, 2025, 1012, house, all

Bills: HB 4, HB 1, HB 2, HB 18, HB 19, HB 20

Keywords: appropriations, funding, budget, state finance, public services, public education, teacher compensation, certification, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability

Bills: HB 4, HB 1, HB 2, HB 18, HB 19, HB 20

Keywords: appropriations, funding, budget, state finance, public services, public education, teacher compensation, certification, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability

Bills: HB 1, HB 2, HB 18, HB 19, HB 20, HB 4

Keywords: appropriations, funding, budget, state finance, public services, public education, teacher compensation, certification, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we make these allocations, whether it's national defense, border security, or tax relief for
• Texas Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs must be protected.
• Texas Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs must be protected.
• Texas Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs must be protected.
• Texas Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs must be protected.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , horrific policy that was really directed at hurting Texas.
• And as a direct result of that, Texas created an interim committee.
• And as a direct result of that, Texas created an interim committee on protecting Texas liquefied natural
• We're trying to produce more uranium in Texas.
• I just appreciate you guys being here and wanting to invest in Texas.

Bills: HB206, HB1238, HB2890, HB2970

Keywords: pipeline, construction, cash bond, county authority, local government, injection wells, environmental regulation, water quality, site inspection, geoscientist, satellite imagery, interstate compact, liquefied natural gas, energy resources, Gulf Coast, regulatory coordination, HB 2970, Gulf Coast Protection District, Special District Local Laws Code, governor appointment

Summary: The Senate Committee on Natural Resources met with a quorum initially lacking, then took up several bills and heard brief testimony. HB 206, by Rep. Craddick, would prohibit counties from requiring cash bonds as a condition for pipeline construction approvals, while still allowing other forms of financial assurance; the sponsor and a Target Pipeline witness said cash-bond mandates create unnecessary costs and uncertainty, and the bill was left pending. HB 2890, by Rep. Patterson, would create an interstate compact among Gulf Coast states to coordinate and support the liquefied natural gas industry; the sponsor emphasized LNG’s economic importance and said the bill mirrors prior compact language that does not require congressional approval, and it was left pending after no public testimony. HB 1238, by Rep. Geren, would let TCEQ use third-party inspection reports and remote technology when reviewing proposed Class I injection wells; the sponsor and a uranium industry witness said it would streamline regulation and support industry, and it was left pending. HB 2970, by Rep. Paul, the House version of SB 410, would require the Gulf Coast Protection District’s final gate design to accommodate two-way vessel traffic and allow the governor to appoint the district’s presiding officer; the committee substitute was explained and the bill was left pending. With members scattered in other committees, the chair said the committee would recess and later reconvene to vote and complete its work.