Transcript Highlights:

• Now, a critical area of need, since we have these sites around the state, is information, technology,
• Projects anticipated for the 2026-27 biennium include museum upgrades, a new roof, new HVAC, structural
• We have had some other increases with some technology, also working with DIR. All right, yeah.
• For a little bit of background, the agency was given $1.1 million in the 88th Legislature for upgrades
• This includes the agency's human resources, finance, information technology, government relations, and

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:

• Other times it's making sure that the school buses can get upgraded so they can keep going out in the
• so they can keep going out in upgraded so they can keep going out in the<01:04:34.640> cold.
• Other times it's making sure that the school buses can get upgraded so they can keep going out in the
• Other times it's making sure that the school buses can get upgraded so they can keep going out in the
• Other times it's making sure that the school buses can get upgraded so they can keep going out in the

Bills: HF3900

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to do some upgrades to the physical facilities.
• Sometimes it seems like the criminal element has better technology than the law enforcement element.
• Our second exceptional item is to upgrade our existing case management system.
• forth with different agencies to see whether or not we could use some of that $50,000 to do the upgrades
• forth with different agencies to see whether or not we could use some of that $50,000 to do the upgrades

Bills: SB 1

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

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant. The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit. A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to move on to Issue 3, which is the information and technology proposal.
• So, CDPH operates several information technology systems to support Vaccine distribution, immunization
• And I'll just remind you, if you can keep your comments directed toward the information technology proposal
• These funds enable labs to quickly identify disease outbreaks using the best technology, highly skilled
• Obviously, it's been improved and upgraded over the last 45 years to where it's in an excellent situation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• administration increasingly relies on a broader range of records, equipment, and certified voting technologies
• that may be... ...on a broader range of records, equipment, and certified voting technologies that may
• any record or document that must be preserved by elections officials under law, certified voting technologies
• I'm glad to see that the chair has been upgraded since I served as chair here.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So back then, the original fee supported a system that worked for the technology of the time.
• Modern technology has moved us to the point where we can access these records a lot quicker, but that
• the repository has cut down to the absolute bare bones right now, but they do need some equipment upgrades
• While I appreciate the spring chicken from the Mayhew District, I'm talking about technology, just wanted

Summary: The House opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the previous day by roll call vote, 126-0. Members then offered several points of personal privilege, including recognition of National Fentanyl Awareness Day and a moment of silence for journalist Ray Hartman. The chamber also welcomed numerous student groups, interns, and other special guests in the gallery. The main floor action centered on the conference committee report for House Bills 2637 and 3155, a very large public safety/criminal justice package. Supporters said it refined earlier legislation, including narrowing juvenile certification to certain A and B felonies, sex offenses, and repeat offenses, adding mental health and cyberstalking provisions, addressing sex offender registry issues, and including a drone-related section with an emergency clause. Critics argued the bill was overly long, multi-subject, and difficult to vet. The House adopted the conference report 124-13, passed the bill 119-18, and then adopted the emergency clause 125-15. The House also passed Senate Bill 834, a consumer protection measure on mortgage modifications and residential sale-leaseback transactions, by 139-1 after members described it as a companion to a House bill and a way to protect homeowners from predatory practices. Senate Bill 937, a land transfer bill authorizing the governor to dispose of certain state properties, passed 137-2 after amendment. Senate Bill 938, which raises recording fees to support the land survey program and recorder of deeds offices, passed 121-21-2 after supporters said the fee had not been increased since 1969 and was needed to keep the program operating. Finally, House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 973, dealing with wholesaler disclosures and land banks, passed 110-36 after an amendment removed a school property right-of-first-refusal provision and added land bank language. The House then moved several other bills to the informal calendar, made announcements, and adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• the puzzle pieces and the technological the puzzle pieces and the technological development<04:49
• Maine and California are technology.
• We're constantly, you know, tweaking things, adding new technology.
• ,<05:14:04.400> things lot of business to do upgrades, things lot of business to do upgrades
• Uh so, yeah, we adding new technology.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So our staff offices are fiscal management office, office of enterprise technology, human resources,
• ,<00:56:45.599> human<00:56:45.920> resources, enterprise technology, human resources
• an abstractor um expenses to upgrade an abstractor um tent<05:24:35.440> position<05:24:36.400
• Um, Aamoku was actually created by the state legislature in the year 2006 and upgraded in 2012.
• and in and upgraded in 2012. and in and upgraded in 2012.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that bill requires us in the Division of Technology Services to develop uniform technology policies
• Of review for new technologies through our architecture review board.
• As we've done this, we've had to create new models of thinking about how you look at this technology.
• The other aspect of it is what technology do you select?
• Some things you can do implement, and it makes it so things are not even technologically possible.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some pretend that ash can be cleaned of toxic chemicals, but there's no technology for that.
• <02:01:32.480> Reworld,<02:01:33.040> who no technology for that.
• Reworld, who no technology for that.
• 713000, making technical amendments if needed, and including the study should include the current upgrades
• to the to the um to current um upgrades to the to the um to the<02:11:37.719> harbor.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills on water, land, housing, permitting, and historic preservation. For SB 746/SD2/HD1 on invasive species, DLNR and the Department of Agriculture supported the intent but warned that a bounty approach for coconut rhinoceros beetle could have unintended consequences, divert resources from biocontrol research, and be vulnerable to abuse; Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the measure. The committee also heard SB 1541 on the WoE water system, with testimony from ADC, Kunia Village Title Holding Company, and Farm Bureau in support, emphasizing the importance of the system for agriculture and the high cost of water on lands already dedicated to farming. The most extensive discussion was on SB 66, relating to building permit review and county permitting authority. DPP opposed the bill, saying the problem is not just agency review time but the broader permitting process, including applicant corrections, outside-agency review, staffing shortages, and low pay that make it hard to fill vacancies. DPP said it already meets or beats existing review deadlines for residential permits and is using tools like electronic plans and AI to help applicants submit better plans. Several supporters, including Iron Workers Local 625, an individual witness, and Hawaii Food Industry Association, backed the bill but urged a pilot program or other safeguards; some also asked for broader permit coverage beyond single-family homes. Committee members questioned DPP about whether applicant correction time should count against the clock, whether self-certification could be used, and whether the state should fund any new mandate. The committee then took up SB 26 on affordable housing, with HHFDC, OPSD, and HCDA in support and no opposition noted. Finally, on SB 1263 relating to historic preservation, HHFDC and DLNR supported the bill, while OHA offered comments and requested amendments, especially on the new risk-based review process for high-, medium-, and low-risk areas. OHA said the new procedure should be implemented carefully and allowed more time, describing it as a pilot that should be done well to be useful while still protecting cultural and historic resources. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of the items, for example, include funding for child support optimization and funding for upgrades
• Lastly, we are requesting that the legislature continue the technological investment in OAG's legal services
• We still have cases that we've just filed that are not necessarily technology, but they're similar in
• Well, I think it's important because you have to have the talent, okay, and you have to have the technology
• **James Kessler**: You have to have the technology, but also specifically the strategy, as Brent mentioned

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > have<00:49:47.119> less technological advantage to have less technological advantage
• We have the technology to do to do it.
• Um technology that's being uh developed.
• and pretty simple technology and simply enabling.
• <02:53:20.080> we measure that and with the technology we measure that and with the technology

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We just didn't know what kind of technologies we were going to be installing at the time.
• So we think this is a practical fix to modernize sophistication, to meet, if you will, the technology
• But what happened out of that is that technology was the original technology that doesn't exist that
• So, as the senator mentioned, this is not a mandate, but a lot of our technologies are including...
• I'm not an expert on all the technologies, but I think for the most part, usually that technology is

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a long series of housing, land use, infrastructure, and local governance bills, beginning without a quorum and briefly operating as a subcommittee until members arrived. SB 1003 by Senator Grayson would create an Infrastructure Partnership Financing Program to help local governments and developers fund infill housing infrastructure; it drew support from housing advocates and senior housing groups, while Senator Seyarto questioned whether the state would actually fund another program. The bill passed 3-1 and remained on call. The committee then adopted a consent calendar containing SB 1169, SB 1086, SB 1126, and SB 1439 through SB 1442. SB 1014, also by Senator Grayson, would require local jurisdictions to provide early estimates of on-site and off-site improvements and limit later surprise requirements; supporters said it would reduce costly late-stage changes, while the City of San Mateo and county/city groups raised concerns about estimates being too speculative at the preliminary application stage. It passed 4-2 and remained on call. SB 1036, another Grayson bill, would require credit for prior site uses under the Mitigation Fee Act for redevelopment projects; it had broad support and passed unanimously. SB 1145 would streamline CEQA and surplus land procedures for the Concord Naval Weapons Station reuse project; supporters emphasized the long-planned 10,000-home transit-oriented redevelopment and labor agreements, while housing legal groups sought stronger affordability enforcement. The bill passed 6-0. The committee also heard SB 908 by Senator Wiener, which would streamline permits for energy-code-compliant window replacements and limit local and HOA design restrictions; supporters framed it as a way to lower energy bills and help affordable housing providers, while local government groups warned about overbroad state preemption and possible litigation exposure. It passed 3-1 and remained on call. SB 1172 by Senator Hurtado would place guardrails on tax-sharing consultant agreements, with the City of Shafter and League of California Cities supporting the measure as a taxpayer protection; it passed 4-0 and remained on call. SB 1379 by Senator Cervantes would separate the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner and create an independent medical examiner in response to high in-custody death rates; supporters cited transparency and public trust, while the sheriff’s association and county representatives argued it would override local control and increase costs. The bill passed 4-1 and remained on call. SB 1283 by Senator Ashby would expand ministerial approval for EV charging stations to include canopies and on-site energy storage; supporters said it would modernize permitting and help fill charging gaps, while cities and counties raised safety, liability, and local review concerns. It passed 4-0 and remained on call. Later, SB 1414 by Senator Reyes proposed an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County. Supporters from Common Cause and the League of Women Voters said it would improve transparency and remove conflicts of interest from supervisorial map-drawing, while the county opposed the bill, citing its existing advisory commission and an estimated $2 million implementation cost. Senators Ashby and Arreguín voiced support for independent redistricting, and the committee continued discussion as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• GOVERNMENTS WHO HAVE THESE LOW PRODUCTIONS AND NEED TO DO SEPTIC TO SEWER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT UPGRADES
• INTO OUR PROCESS TO REVIEW IT OURSELVES AND THEY STILL OWE US A LOT OF MODELING AND A LOT OF GEO TECHNOLOGY

Transcript Highlights:

• the Louisiana Housing Corporation does have several buckets that they can attach for that type of upgrade
• this legislation and since the Big Beautiful Bill has been put in place, the SAVE database has been upgraded
• Database has been upgraded and it's been used very efficiently to verify someone's citizenship, but in
• Medicaid, the department shall provide a single reasonable opportunity period.' database has been upgraded
• the child was conceived biologically or whether it was conceived using artificial reproductive technology

Summary: The committee first heard SB 145, which would require adult residential care providers, especially assisted living centers, to have generators or other backup power arrangements and to submit preparedness plans to LDH. After technical amendments and testimony from the sponsor, LDH, and the assisted living industry clarifying the bill’s scope and cost concerns, the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. It then took up SB 433, which would require Medicaid coverage of medically necessary FDA-approved weight loss drugs, including GLP-1 medications, subject to appropriations and fiscally sustainable coverage criteria; the bill was reported favorably after discussion of current Medicaid coverage and costs. The committee also approved SB 52, which requires better coordination between DCFS and LDH so SNAP and Medicaid benefits can follow children more quickly when they are removed from or returned to a home. Technical amendments changed reporting deadlines and required written notice, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 4 on public water fluoridation was amended to allow local governments or voters to opt out through a petition and election process, with support from the Louisiana Dental Association and others after compromise language was adopted; it was reported favorably with amendments. SB 152, which would prohibit the sale of cultured or lab-grown food products for human consumption, was also reported favorably with amendments after brief testimony in support and opposition. The committee next approved SCR 37, which asks the Surgeon General to review Louisiana’s informed consent laws and report back on any gaps, after discussion that the existing medical disclosure panel had not met since 2018. It then considered SB 194, a public assistance bill aligning Louisiana Medicaid and SNAP rules with recent federal changes on non-citizen eligibility and tightening Medicaid’s reasonable opportunity period for citizenship verification. After extensive debate over immigration, emergency care, and whether the bill could harm eligible applicants or rural hospitals, the committee adopted an amendment allowing LDH discretion for emergency health care services and reported the bill favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, HCR 113 created a task force to study gestational carrier agreements and assisted reproductive regulation; after debate over surrogacy, ethics, and referral to Civil Law, the committee rejected the referral motion and then reported the resolution favorably, and the meeting moved on to SB 333 on child-in-need-of-care proceedings and legal representation funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that we're looking for the 911 fund is to help the counties upgrade the PSAP systems
• <00:02:35.920> Any counties upgrade the PSAP systems.
• Any counties upgrade the PSAP systems.
• <00:02:45.320> their<00:02:45.880> PSAP to help the counties upgrade their PSAP to
• help the counties upgrade their PSAP systems.<00:02:47.600> Do<00:02:47.680> you<00:02:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Government Operations met on April 14, 2026, to consider Governor’s Message 784, a nomination for the 911 Board: Terrence Gomez for a term ending June 30, 2030. The chair noted that the committee had received written testimony in support from Davelyn Racadio, EMS Dispatch Coordinator for the Maui Police Department, and invited Gomez to testify by Zoom. Gomez said he wanted to serve because of his public safety background and his desire to strengthen emergency communications and support community and first responder safety. He said he has 27 years of law enforcement experience, including work with dispatchers and the emergency operations center. The chair asked about the board’s role in helping counties upgrade PSAP systems, but Gomez said he was not familiar with that issue and had no specific thoughts at the time. After questions concluded, the chair recommended advising and consenting to the nomination, saying Gomez’s county police experience would be an asset to the board. The committee voted yes by members present, with Senator Gabbard excused, and the nomination was approved. The chair congratulated Gomez and adjourned the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, and Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies.
• and direct air capture technologies.
• or best available retrofit control technology.
• .. ...technologies that we can then regulate and implement.
• Priority sectors to cleaner technologies.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sort of CTE program would you Technology sort of CTE program would you require<00:17:19.919> a
• officials and uh technology officials and uh technology directors<03:11:28.200> we<03:11:
• Why should we be purchasing things separately, not using the same technology?
• and I'm not oppositional technology and I'm not oppositional technology<04:22:21.800> I<04:22
• The people that created this technology have said so themselves.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 362, which would grant the Department of Education rulemaking authority related to educator licensure and testing requirements, including passing scores on professional education assessments. Representative Ladd said the bill is intended to preserve New Hampshire’s standards for classroom teachers and CTE instructors, while allowing DOE flexibility through rulemaking. He emphasized maintaining high standards, including for career and technical education, and said he was open to DOE clarifying the language further. Committee members raised concerns that the bill, as written, could remove language recognizing industry-recognized credentials for CTE instructors. Department of Education Director Steven Appy said DOE had drafted an amendment to clarify that the requirement applies to an initial New Hampshire license, to exempt CTE teachers from content exams, and to preserve current administrative practice allowing basic academic skills testing and industry-recognized credentials as substitutes. The committee discussed the distinction between basic academic skills tests and content assessments, and Appy said the amendment was meant to avoid conflating those requirements. The chair said the committee would take up executive session on HB 362 and related bills later. The committee then took up House Bill 90, which narrows and defines the rules for part-time teachers, especially in concurrent enrollment settings. Representative Ladd explained that the bill is meant to allow qualified college faculty or adjuncts from the University System or Community College System to teach high school concurrent-enrollment courses when local schools lack a teacher with the needed master’s-level credentials, particularly in math and STEM subjects. He said the bill is intended to expand student access to college-level coursework, save money, and preserve standards, while still requiring background checks and adherence to ethics and conduct rules. Members began asking questions about how the bill would work in practice, including certification and endorsement issues, but the hearing was not concluded in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• it for you and review this and upgrade it for you and make<00:57:41.359> sure<00:57:41.520>
• and upgrades stadium Field improvements and upgrades stadium seating<00:59:52.559> and<00:59:
• upgrades for both schools<00:59:58.640> uh<00:59:58.839> with<00:59:59.400> Associated
• <01:05:40.880> and<01:05:41.039> school<01:05:41.319> improve safety upgrades
• and school improve safety upgrades and school improve Improvement<01:05:42.880> projects<01:05

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not include recessions, changes to fiscal and monetary policy actions, future technological innovations
• Mainly from slower adoption of the EV technologies, renewables, and slower adoption of policies for decarbonization
• But it's not new to the state, and how did we manage that maybe with some enhanced technology today?
• Question: did I hear earlier in today's presentations that IT was going to need $500 million to upgrade
• got from the department are $15 million from the general fund, plus a 90% federal match to try to upgrade