Transcript Highlights:

• on the ground to support those workers.
• All of our workers and particularly all of the challenges that they face in this moment in time.
• We heard from garment workers and farm workers and truck drivers, all coming forward talking to us about
• Gabriela Chavez with United Domestic Workers, representing 250,000 home care workers.
• We'll go into a temporary recess. We're going to go through all 20 bills and call the roll.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review heard the 2026-27 budget package, including AB 111 and AB 112 plus 16 trailer bills and two policy bills. Chair Laird described the budget as balanced over two fiscal years, with about $351.7 billion in total spending, $251.5 billion General Fund, and record reserves, while emphasizing investments in child care, homelessness, housing, Medi-Cal, education, courts, and other core programs. The Department of Finance presented each bill, outlining major items such as Medi-Cal adjustments tied to federal H.R. 1, child care and early learning funding, education and higher education investments, human services, developmental services, health, skilled nursing, resources, energy, transportation, housing, labor, state government, courts, taxation, and two policy bills on education governance and ballot measure placement. The LAO said it had no additional comments but was available for questions. The committee later achieved quorum and moved to member questions and comments, with no votes taken in the portion provided. Members largely focused on the budget’s fiscal structure and policy implications. Several senators praised staff and noted the compressed timeline, while Vice Chair Niello criticized the process as overly complex and burdensome. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas supported the budget but raised concerns about Medi-Cal changes for people with unsatisfactory immigration status, asking about access to care, the number affected, and county eligibility support; Finance said about two million people would transition to fee-for-service and that $39 million was included for care coordination, along with additional county eligibility funding. Senator Durazo said the agreement delayed, but did not resolve, cuts to immigrant health coverage, dental, and clinic payments, and argued that the budget did not create a true restoration mechanism. Senator Richardson highlighted hospital funding, public hospital definitions, DMV data protections, and court construction and maintenance needs, while Senator Grove questioned the sustainability of spending, the Medi-Cal savings assumptions, distressed hospital funding, Planned Parenthood transparency, developmental services changes, high-speed rail costs, and the property tax postponement program. Other members emphasized different priorities. Senator Blake Spear praised climate and parks investments, support for HAP homelessness funding with accountability, transit stabilization, and Care Court referral funding, while expressing concern about the lack of wildlife coexistence funding and long-term transit operating support. Senator Weber Pearson raised a technical concern in the health trailer bill regarding menopause language, arguing that the bill should refer to perimenopausal symptoms and should not narrow provider participation through contracting language. Throughout the hearing, Finance repeatedly explained that many of the budget’s savings came from reduced caseloads or delayed implementation of prior proposals, while some new spending was added to mitigate impacts and support administration of the changes. No final committee action or vote was shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Representative McQueen. bill relating to the temporary sale of alcoholic beverages at certain
• We're making sure that drivers are better prepared to keep themselves workers safe.
• And it's critical that we do everything to protect both motorists and construction workers in these work
• You know, the driver's ed curriculum right now doesn't, it only matches his work zone. and workers twice
• safety for Texans. should be prioritized, and I believe that this bill increases safety for both workers

Bills: HB679 , HB1764 , HB1788 , HB2186 , HB2204 , HB2418 , HB2885 , HB2983 , HB2996 , HB3250 , HB3352 , HB3756 , HB3816 , HB3913 , HB3928 , HB4077

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Keywords: environment, regulation, land use, public health, community development, alcohol, Sunday sales, local option election, Texas, business hours, alcohol sales, liquor, off-premise consumption, alcoholic beverages, CPA, Certified Public Accountant, licensing, accountancy, state regulation, continuing education

Transcript Highlights:

• The secretary will report Senate Resolution No. 1, a Senate resolution relating to temporary organization
• Senate Resolution No. 1 provides for the temporary organization of the Senate.
• </c><01:16:00.840><c> or</c> job they're not just another worker or job they're not just another worker
• But in the end, I'd like to hang my hat on something more besides the temporary trappings of this world
• But in the end, I'd like to hang my hat on something more besides the temporary trappings of this world

Transcript Highlights:

• at the whole gamut, and it's not always just a law enforcement or a health or a child protection worker
• , and workforce development in these trades to help increase the number of educated skilled trade workers
• businesses costs by reducing injuries, workers' compensation costs, lost time, the number of failed
• And so, we have some of the reporters in the state who have temporary licenses where they've passed that
• So, they've written a letter to the AOC, and they've approved for a temporary certificate because they

Committee: House Administrative Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Taking $485 million from the businesses with a promise that it's only going to be temporary is not good
• But the most remarkable part of this entire bill is that we are penalizing employers because workers
• Penalizing employers because workers are actually enrolled in Medicaid while also fighting federal rules
• Another important point is that some companies, if a worker declines health insurance, that company pays
• Corporate taxes are always passed on to consumers and to workers.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:16:55.079><c> of</c> representing the social workers of representing the social workers of Southern
• They operate under an institutional or temporary license for at least 1 year.
• The result was not temporary relief; it was joyous restoration.
• The result was not temporary relief; it was joyous restoration.
• </c><01:14:31.840><c> relief,</c> The result was not temporary relief, The result was not temporary relief

Bills: HB1626 , HB1643 , HB1668 , HB1550 , HB1974 , HB1858 , HB1871 , HB1966 , HB1972 , HB1973

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 847, which would create a Kauai pilot program allowing qualified psychologists limited authority to prescribe psychotropic medications. The Board of Psychology supported the bill’s intent but asked for amendments to delay the effective date or extend the pilot so rules could be written first, and to clarify the education/training language. Supporters, including the Hawaii Psychological Association, Hawaii Mental Health Coalition, and several psychologists, argued that prescribing psychologists have long safety records in other jurisdictions and that the pilot could improve access to care on Kauai, especially amid ongoing mental health needs and storm-related stress. They cited studies and examples from New Mexico, Louisiana, the Department of Defense, and other places. Opponents, including the Hawaii Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Queen’s Medical Center, and a Department of Health representative, said the bill needed substantial work, raised concerns about training, liability, and workforce impacts, and urged a team-based model with psychiatrist oversight rather than independent prescribing. Some testimony also referenced a GAO report, with witnesses disagreeing over its meaning and cost-effectiveness. No vote was taken during the discussion, and members asked questions about how the bill would address the workforce shortage and whether a psychiatrist on Kauai could already meet the need. The committee then moved to SB 2271 on hospital licensing and SB 2272 on home health care licensing. The Department of Health, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported both measures, which were described as streamlining and clarifying licensing oversight by relying on accreditation or certification reports. A member asked whether the bill language on hospital accreditation reports was duplicative, and the response was that the second provision was intended to strengthen enforcement by requiring hospitals to provide the actual report to DOH. The committee did not take final action in the portion of the hearing provided, and the chair noted that all bills on the agenda would later be considered for decision-making.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then you were, I understand, a social worker, is that correct?
• Latinos are actually the essential workers in this building, and they need representation.
• We represent glaziers. ...painters and trade show workers in Houston and throughout the state.
• To testify on behalf of the Workers Defense Action Fund.
• My name is Kevin Huachin from Workers Defense Action Fund, an organization that organizes.

Committee: House Congressional Redistricting, Select

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are FFLs in California, to identify dealers willing to provide temporary firearm storage.
• This bill expands access to safe, temporary firearm storage for people who need it. Thank you.
• Access to safe, temporary firearm storage for people who need it.
• Access to temporary firearm storage can save lives.
• Our goal should not be temporary disruption of illegal activity.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically, what you're talking about is a temporary closure of five hours for an area with a radius
• There's some argument that folks say, "Well, it's only temporary, so it's not that big of a deal."
• Now, I think the saving grace is because it's only for a temporary purpose.
• So, for the four or five hours of any temporary closure, any degree of...
• That many more election workers and judges and all of those things.

Bills: HCR158 , HCR159 , HCR160 , HCR161 , HCR162 , HCR163 , HCR164 , HR174 , HR427 , HR790 , HR810 , HR857 , HR866 , HR882 , HR883 , HR962 , HR966 , HR1001 , HR1045 , HR1085 , HR1097 , HR1127 , HR1138 , HR1141 , HR1150 , HR1152 , HR1292 , HR1296 , HR1304 , HR1305 , HR1306 , HR1308 , HR1309 , HR1310 , HR1311 , HR1312 , HR1313 , HR1315 , HR1317 , HR1318 , HR1320 , HR1321 , HR1322 , HR1323 , HR1324 , HR1325 , HR1327 , HR1328 , HR1329 , HR1330 , HR1331 , HR1332 , HR1333 , HR1334 , HR1335 , HR1338 , HR1340 , HR1341 , HR1342 , HR1343 , HR1344 , HR1345 , HR1346 , HR1347 , HR1348 , HR1349 , HR1352 , HR1353 , HR1354 , HR1355 , HR1358 , HR1359 , HR1360 , HR1361 , HR1362 , HR1363 , HR1364 , HR1365 , HR1366 , HR1368 , HR1369 , HR1370 , HR1380 , HR1383 , HR1384 , HR1385 , HR1386 , HR1387 , HR1388 , HR1389 , HR1390 , HR1392 , HR1393 , HR1396 , HR1397 , HR1398 , HR1399 , HR1400 , HR1402 , HR1403 , HR1404 , HR1405 , HR1406 , HR1407 , HR1408 , HR1409 , HR1410 , HR1411 , HR1412 , HR1413 , HR1414 , HR1415 , HR1417 , HR1418 , HR1419 , HR1420 , HR1421 , HR1422 , HR1424 , HR1425 , HR1426 , HR1427 , HR1428 , HR1429 , HR1430 , HR1431 , HR1432 , HR1433 , HR1434 , HR1435 , HR1436 , HR1437 , HR1438 , HR1440 , HR1441 , HR1442 , HR1443 , HR1444 , HR1445 , HR1447 , HR1448 , HR1449 , HR1450 , HR1452 , HR1453 , HR1454 , HR1455 , HR1456 , HR1458 , HR1459 , HR1460 , HR1461 , HR1462 , HR1463 , HR1464 , HR1465 , HR1466 , HR1467 , HR1469 , HR1470 , HR1471 , HR1472 , HR1473 , HR1475 , HR1477 , HCR132 , HCR154 , HR17 , HR49 , HR170 , HR275 , HR355 , HR356 , HR364 , HR369 , HR672 , HR690 , HR755 , HR756 , HR759 , HR762 , HR763 , HR781 , HR785 , HR848 , HR1240 , HR1265 , HR1303 , HR1307 , HR1314 , HR1316 , HR1319 , HR1326 , HR1336 , HR1337 , HR1350 , HR1351 , HR1367 , HR1371 , HR1372 , HR1373 , HR1374 , HR1375 , HR1376 , HR1377 , HR1378 , HR1379 , HR1382 , HR1391 , HR1395 , HR1451 , HR1457 , HR1468 , HR1474 , HR1476 , SB1637 , SB2878 , HB2885 , HB2017 , HB5246 , SB8 , SB2308 , SB1405 , HB 119 , SB3059 , SB15 , SB568 , SB2900 , HB3642 , HB3909 , SB268 , HB493 , SB2217 , HB2516 , SB650 , HB2963 , SB1610 , HB705 , SB2972 , SB1540 , HB40 , SB2753 , SB1660 , SB2024 , HB1545 , HB46

Keywords: World War II, V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day, Japan surrender, atomic bomb, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, USS Missouri, Douglas MacArthur, Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Potsdam Conference, Pacific Theater, Greatest Generation, veterans, military history, commemoration, concurrent resolution, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• you know, our commitment. ...was that once we got full domestic service restored, those sort of temporary
• think part of the resources bill has a proviso that will increase the amount of work that our DOT workers

Summary: Senate Transportation Committee Chair Marko Liias and Ranking Member Curtis King presented the Senate transportation budget package, describing three bills: a supplemental transportation budget, a bond proposal, and a resources bill with technical updates to last year’s law. They said the package prioritizes preservation and maintenance of highways, bridges, ferries, and flood-damaged infrastructure, along with safety investments such as additional funding for preservation-related safety work, State Patrol staffing, and tribal traffic safety. They also emphasized job creation from infrastructure spending and said the plan uses no new taxes, relying instead on bonding and existing revenue changes. The senators highlighted several major elements, including about $1.7 billion for preservation over six years, $1.1 billion in bonding, a $400 million reserve for cost increases, funding to complete the first three new ferries, disaster relief loans for local transportation agencies, Columbia River dredging, and funding for the Fairfax Bridge and related alternate routes. The resources bill would create a mobile driver’s license program, dedicate a portion of future sales tax revenue to ferry operations, and repeal the luxury aircraft tax while replacing it with higher aviation fuel taxes and annual registration fees. They said the ferry system still needs more vessels beyond the first three, but they want more study before committing to a longer-term procurement plan. In response to questions, the senators said WSDOT will determine specific preservation project priorities, including paving and bridge work, and that the budget does not add new passenger-only ferry operating money now that domestic ferry service has largely been restored. They also said the package includes studies on leasing hydrogen ferries and updating the in-state shipyard bid credit, and that flood recovery funding was structured to help local governments repair roads now while waiting for possible federal FEMA reimbursement. No votes were taken in the transcript; the discussion was a budget rollout and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• The center was established in '23 under this body as a temporary endeavor, but due to the success of
• I'm a fellow social worker, as you already know.

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met with two bills on the agenda. HB 1055, by Rep. Albert, would make permanent the Center for the Study of Election Law at Florida State University’s College of Law, which was created temporarily in 2023. The sponsor described the center as successful and tied to Florida’s election reputation. There was brief public testimony, including support from FSU-affiliated witnesses, and no debate or amendments. The bill passed unanimously. The committee then heard HB 1105, by Rep. Kinghart-Johnson, a broader education bill affecting Bright Futures and related programs. As explained by the sponsor, the bill would change the Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship requirement from three full credits in one program to three full credits total, align the CTE diploma with scholarship eligibility, add the AP Capstone Diploma as an automatic Bright Futures Academic Scholarship qualifier, and remove barriers for some students whose parents are retired military or public service employees stationed out of state. An amendment was adopted that revised AP Capstone requirements, kept the Gold Seal GPA requirement unchanged, and added the ACE diploma as a qualifier for the Florida Seal of Fine Arts. Public testimony on HB 1105 included two social work students who supported expanding opportunities but warned that the bill could steer students into vocational tracks without enough safeguards, transparency, or access to transportation, internships, and counseling. Several members spoke in support of the bill’s goal of recognizing multiple paths to success, while also acknowledging concerns raised by speakers. In closing, the sponsor said the bill was intended to improve access and correct language that treated vocational pathways as lesser options. HB 1105 passed unanimously as amended, and the meeting adjourned afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had also considered the use of some temporary positions just to clear the backlog, even temporary
• We had also considered the use of some temporary positions just to clear the backlog, even temporary
• So, child protective service workers.
• </c> workers. They're taking the calls. workers. They're taking the calls.
• </c><01:16:39.520><c> unemployment</c> workers comp and unemploy unemployment workers comp and unemploy

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Abbott, do you have an understanding of how many workers this...
• We learned during the Depression, when you have times of mass layoffs and workers lose their spending
• If there is a big upswing in unemployment, workers then get benefits out of that pot so that they go
• The number of workers who ever qualify for even a dime is the lowest in the nation.
• Instead of punishing struggling workers, we should be fixing Florida's broken unemployment system.

Summary: The Housing, Agriculture and Tourism Subcommittee heard and advanced several bills. HB 615, allowing landlords to send required notices electronically with tenant written consent, was amended to allow either landlords or tenants to send messages electronically and passed favorably after testimony from legal aid and tenant advocates urging stronger opt-in, opt-out, and notice protections. HB 665, dealing with local government impact fees and development permits, would limit certain art-related impact fees, define “extraordinary circumstances,” and require more public process before fee increases; it passed after local government and industry testimony focused on refining the extraordinary-circumstances definition and concerns about public art funding. HB 365, a tenant protection bill for affordable housing units receiving public incentives, was amended to apply only to leases of 13 months or less and to take effect in July 2026; it passed with support from housing advocates and AARP and was described as preventing mid-lease rent increases while preserving renewal-time adjustments. HB 381, requiring issuance of addresses and parcel identification numbers within a set timeframe, was amended to extend the deadline to 20 business days and shift the fee consequence to the address fee rather than the building permit fee; it passed after discussion about delays affecting developers and local government responsibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Substitute House Bill 2355 relates to domestic workers.
• This bill establishes labor protections for domestic workers.
• Second Substitute House Bill 2105 relates to immigrant workers.
• So I think the bill before us is about domestic workers' Bill of Rights, a group of workers that have
• not prevent the worker from receiving unemployment insurance benefits that they've earned.

Bills: HB1347 , HB2091 , HB2264

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: education, funding, student loans, affordability, higher education, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation, unemployment insurance, benefits, employment, layoffs, workforce reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• It has to do with how state workers are paid.
• In that industry, it is common for workers to be paid more than once a month.
• And so for TxDOT to compete in that. market, they would like to have the flexibility to pay their workers
• And then also on the workers' comp, we did it across the board.
• For the non-ERCOT region, and so really it's the ERCOT region that has this temporary issue that needs

Bills: HB 106 , HB144 , HB145 , HB252 , HB1732 , HB2221 , HB2467 , HB2468 , HB2517 , HB2518 , HB2963 , HB3016 , HB3689 , HB3960 , HB4386 , HB4490 , HB4751 , HB5247 , HJR175 , HB2213 , HB106 , HB144 , HB145 , HB252

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• because of our lack of affordable housing, we face a shortage of teachers, a shortage of healthcare workers
• shortage shortage of teachers we Face a shortage of<00:22:03.000><c> healthcare</c><00:22:03.400><c> workers
• c><00:22:03.799><c> which</c><00:22:03.919><c> has</c><00:22:04.039><c> plagued</c> of healthcare workers
• which has plagued of healthcare workers which has plagued us<00:22:04.480><c> for</c><00:22:04.679><
• To restore infrastructure, build temporary and long-term housing, and local schools, we've supported

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, we recognize the essential role of hourly school workers, many of whom are frontline staff who
• Third, we recognize the essential role of hourly school workers, many of whom are frontline staff who
• Third, we recognize the essential role of hourly school workers, many of whom are frontline staff who
• Third, we recognize the essential role of hourly school workers, many of whom are frontline staff who
• Um there is a temporary spike program.

Bills: HF2430 , HF2433

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: education finance, teacher training, Read Act, state aid, school funding, education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation

Transcript Highlights:

• Please vote yes. that case worker is the one who's that case worker is the one who's involved<00:41:05.920
• Members, take your seats. healthare workers today. We can prove healthare workers today.
• </c> pooling tips away from the tip workers pooling tips away from the tip workers and<06:52:44.000><
• </c><06:57:27.360><c> to</c> management to require tipped workers to management to require tipped workers
• And finally, if I am someone workers.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:17.840><c> Um</c><00:05:18.479><c> the</c><00:05:18.720><c> next</c> foreign service worker
• Um the next foreign service worker pay.
• On line 19 is Senator Umu Verbaton's provision regarding section 530 and worker misclassification.
• </c><01:06:10.160><c> Uh</c> temporary transfer authorization. Uh temporary transfer authorization.
• This is again related to that 2021 temporary transfer authorization.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Providing hourly workers, extremely important members of our education teams, with viable positions and
• Providing hourly workers, extremely important members of our education teams, with viable positions and
• Commissioner Willie Jett: Providing hourly workers, extremely important members of our education teams
• </c><00:54:24.480><c> FTE</c> $150,000 so it's a temporary FTE $150,000 so it's a temporary FTE $150,000
• We currently have temporary funds set aside for that office.

Committee: House Education Finance