Transcript Highlights:

• Your affirmation reflects that you are Texas State Director for the Alliance for Safety and Justice,
• Alliance for Safety and Justice, and Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice.
• They're going to accommodate their case to that route.
• Your affirmation is testifying on behalf of the Lone Star Justice Alliance for the bill, correct?
• I'm the CEO of the Lone Star Justice Alliance.

Bills: HB285 , HB795 , HB1795 , HB1871 , HB2407 , HB2461 , HB2695 , HB3507 , HB4911 , HB200

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: animal cruelty, nonlivestock, prosecution, veterinary defense, animal welfare, aggravated assault, penal code, public servant, deadly weapon, mass shooting, Penal Code, penalties, felony, Texas Penal Code, felony enhancement, first-degree felony, second-degree felony, violent crime, assault punishment, serious bodily injury

Transcript Highlights:

• It is Senate Bill 66, and I will lay out Senate Bill 66 for Chairman Leach.

Bills: SB66

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: disability, supported decision-making, legal assistance, confidentiality, access to justice, autonomy, civil rights, advocacy, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is Senate Bill 66, and I will lay out Senate Bill 66 for Chairman Leach.

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Summary: The committee met at 5:39 p.m. with a quorum present and took up one item, Senate Bill 66. The chair laid out a committee substitute for the bill, which concerns supportive decision-making agreements as an alternative to full guardianship for adults with disabilities who can make their own choices but may need assistance understanding options, accessing information, and making decisions. The substitute would direct the Office of Court Administration to conduct an interim study on the legal and ethical issues involved in allowing a supporter under such an agreement to assist an adult with a disability in criminal or civil legal proceedings. The discussion noted stakeholder concerns about confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, and how the proposal would work in practice. The study is to examine effects on privilege and confidentiality, identify related estate code and other legal provisions that may need amendment, evaluate best practices from other jurisdictions, and recommend statutory changes. No committee members asked questions, and no one registered or appeared to testify. The chair closed the hearing, withdrew the committee substitute and left it pending, then concluded the agenda. The committee adjourned without objection, subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File 66, third reading, of Senate File 66, Donated Hunting Licenses Amendments, an act relating
• Senate file 66 donated hunting licenses Senate file 66 donated hunting licenses amendments amendments
• </c> one to Senate File 66. one to Senate File 66. &gt;&gt; Thank<00:31:32.080><c> you.
• Senate File 66: 30 aye, 1 excused.
• </c> File 66 has passed the Senate. File 66 has passed the Senate.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At this time, uh, we're going to go ahead and get into Senate Bill 66.
• /c><00:14:05.839><c> uh,</c><00:14:06.000><c> Senate</c><00:14:06.240><c> Bill</c><00:14:06.560><c> 66
• </c> ahead and get into, uh, Senate Bill 66. ahead and get into, uh, Senate Bill 66.
• With nine yes votes, zero no votes, zero pass votes, Senate Bill 66 as amended by the Senate committee
• zero no votes, zero pass votes,<00:19:18.240><c> Senate</c><00:19:18.480><c> Bill</c><00:19:18.799><c> 66

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• designation for people who have invisible disabilities. >> This is the companion bill to House Bill 66
• This is the companion bill to House Bill 66 by Representative Ontario Tildman, who's done a yeoman's
• , this is the companion bill to House Um, this is the companion bill to House Bill<00:38:18.880><c> 66
• </c><00:38:19.599><c> by</c><00:38:19.920><c> Representative</c><00:38:20.560><c> Ontario</c> Bill 66
• by Representative Ontario Bill 66 by Representative Ontario Tildman,<00:38:21.839><c> who's</c><00:38

Bills: SB7 , SB22 , SB39 , SB40 , SB45 , SB46 , SB86 , SB95 , SB107 , SB7 , SB22 , SB39 , SB40 , SB45 , SB46 , SB86 , SB95 , SB107

Committee: Senate State Governmental Affairs

Keywords: voting rights, absentee ballot, protected classes, Alabama Voting Rights Act, felony conviction, election integrity, preclearance, Alabama Jobs Act, incentives, job creation, economic development, recapture provisions, capital investment, employment, board governance, occupational licensing, Sunset Law, public accountability, training requirements, SB40

Transcript Highlights:

• That does not also include the 66 trooper recruits that we have, but if you put all those together, we're
• That does not also include the 66 trooper recruits that we have, but if you put all those together, we're
• That does not also include the 66 trooper recruits that we have, but if you put all those together, we're
• uh</c><00:26:48.840><c> are</c><00:26:49.080><c> more</c><00:26:49.440><c> like</c><00:26:49.799><c> 66
• </c> so some of the 90 uh are more like 66 so some of the 90 uh are more like 66 tower<00:26:51.200><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Justice, Public Safety, and Judiciary met to approve the February 18 minutes and then heard first from Kentucky State Police Commissioner Philip Burnett Jr. on recruitment, Trooper Academy classes, and the Kentucky Emergency Warning System (KQES) lease program. Burnett said KSP had submitted the House Bill 6 recruitment and retention reports, and he reviewed Cadet Classes 104 and 105, including application numbers, age ranges, and the mix of applicants by education, military, and law enforcement background. He said attrition is driven largely by physical fitness failures and homesickness from the resident academy model, but noted KSP has expanded recruiting and mentoring efforts, including college-credit partnerships and targeted recruiting in western Kentucky. Members asked about academy credit, the physical test, dropout reasons, whether applicants can reapply, and where recruits are coming from; Burnett said some do return successfully and that most candidates come from central and eastern Kentucky, while staffing remains hardest at posts in Mayfield, Madisonville, Henderson, Campbellsburg, and Dry Ridge. Burnett also updated the committee on KQES and the broader radio replacement effort. He described KQES as a 153-tower microwave backbone supporting state and local public safety communications, including DEMA, KET, and seismology equipment, and said KSP is renewing long-term private land leases that were set to expire in the coming years. He reported progress using master agreements and outside leasing firms, with eight leases out for bid and eleven more to follow, plus new interagency leases with the Transportation Cabinet and a site move in Wolf County to Forest Service land. He said about 997 leases still remain to be executed, though some tower sites involve multiple leases, and he expressed optimism that the new process will protect the system’s assets. In response to questions from Representative Sharp, Burnett said he could not give a firm completion date for the new radio system but estimated 18 to 36 months depending on tower construction, and said phase three equipment has already been procured for parts of Posts 8, 11, and 14, including Boyd and Lawrence counties. After KSP’s presentation and questions from Representatives Sharp, Carney, and Decker, the committee turned to the Kentucky Court of Justice. Zach Ramy, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, introduced himself and began the court system’s budget overview, but the transcript provided cuts off before that presentation continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, the free fares for Metro Mobility certified users on our regular route transit system.
• Also, the free fares for Metro Mobility certified users on our regular route transit system.
• I'm the education manager at the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota.
• People using active transportation are more likely to patronize businesses along their route compared
• Thank you for your time. drive up 35 as there are no bus routes drive up 35 as there are no bus routes

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am here on behalf of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
• So to get respiratory depression in laboratory animals, you have to give it by an inappropriate route
• We are an alliance of experts, consumers, and industry that advocate for natural kratom leaf.
• And I represent the Seven Hope Alliance. We're a research 501(c)(3).

Committee: House Emerging Issues

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, Randall Hager, here for the California Psychiatric Physicians Alliance. We're in support.
• I think that companies do want to go down that route of using the technology, but at some point we've
• Good morning, Kelly Hitt with the Business Software Alliance in opposition. Thank you.
• Trent Smith, on behalf of the California Mobile Home Park Owners Alliance, opposed for the reasons outlined

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. AB 416 would allow emergency room physicians to initiate 5150 mental health holds, with supporters saying it would reduce emergency room bottlenecks and speed care for patients in crisis. County and behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, and some members raised broader concerns about the 5150 system and juvenile placements. The bill was ultimately approved on a do-pass as amended vote. AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Act, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued it would prohibit businesses from using personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, describing the practice as discriminatory and exploitative. Business and industry groups opposed the bill, warning that its language was too broad, could affect discounts and loyalty programs, and would create litigation risk through a private right of action. After discussion about enforcement and possible amendments, the bill passed on a do-pass motion. AB 632 would give local governments a faster way to collect penalties for serious code violations, including unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis activity, by allowing certain fines to become money judgments and clarifying lien authority. It had support from county and city groups and no opposition was voiced in the hearing; the bill passed as amended. ACA 7, a constitutional amendment intended to clarify and limit misuse of Section 31A, also moved forward after brief support testimony. The committee then took up AB 649, which would extend protections for businesses that proactively obtain certified access specialist inspections and fix accessibility violations; the author, a small business owner, and others testified in support, while disability rights groups moved to neutral after amendments. Members discussed the balance between access enforcement and reducing predatory litigation, and the bill was still under consideration as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with the Digital Childhood Alliance.
• Alliance.
• Does the Taxpayers Protection Alliance have a position on whether that app she described is appropriate
• I just don't think that this bill is that route to where we're trying to go.

Bills: SB30 , SB517 , SB1313 , SB1314 , SB1316 , SB1541 , SB1698 , SB1845 , SB1860 , SB2420 , SB2429 , SB 30

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to batch Senate Bill 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66. Senate Bill 69 is a supplemental.
• Senate Bill 60, Senate Bill 61, Senate Bill 62, Senate Bill 64, Senate Bill 65, Senate Bill 66, Senate
• Senate Bill 60, Senate Bill 61, Senate Bill 62, Senate Bill 64, Senate Bill 65, Senate Bill 66, Senate

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Arizona has one grow, the state of Florida has one grow, the state of Oregon has 107, Washington 66
• of Arizona has one grow, the state of Florida has one grow, the state of Oregon, has 107, Washington 66
• , Montana, 10, Minnesota, 2, Minnesota, 2, Washington, 66, Montana, 10, Minnesota, two.

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee considered a series of bills, beginning with House Bill 4422 and House Bill 4423, which strengthen immigration status verification for public assistance programs, including SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. Supporters said the measures would improve eligibility checks through the SAVE system, reduce fraud, and help address Oklahoma’s high error rate in benefit programs. Members raised concerns about whether the bills could discourage eligible children or mixed-status families from seeking services, but the author said the bills were intended to target ineligible applicants and would not affect eligible U.S.-citizen children. Both bills were reported out with due pass recommendations by 8-3 votes. The committee also advanced House Bill 3834, which would create a state-backed vehicle to support ibogaine research for conditions such as PTSD, alcoholism, and opioid addiction, with private matching funds and potential state royalties if a product is commercialized. House Bill 2947 would allow Medicaid billing for mental health therapist interns working under supervision, with an estimated fiscal impact discussed in the hundreds of thousands of dollars rather than millions; it passed 11-0. House Bill 2964 would remove the mandatory fee for copies of medical records requested by attorneys, insurers, or subpoenas, while still allowing providers to charge at their discretion; it also passed unanimously. Several marijuana-related bills were heard. House Bill 3143 would extend the current moratorium on new marijuana grow licenses, and House Bill 3144 would cap the number of licenses if the moratorium is later lifted. Supporters argued the limits would help law enforcement and regulators control illegal activity and reduce black-market diversion, while critics questioned whether the issue was really license count or agency resources. Both bills were reported out, 9-2 and 8-2 respectively. House Bill 3519 would replace a failed bond approach for cleaning up abandoned grows with a fee-based revolving fund, and House Bill 3522 would require the ABLE Commission to report disciplinary actions annually; both passed 10-0. House Bill 3530 would give ABLE-regulated businesses 10 days to produce requested records, and House Bill 4300 would align DHS child care worker background-check statutes with federal law; both were reported out unanimously. The committee also laid over several other bills before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes, ayes 66, nos 0, on the urgency.
• Ayes 66, nos 0, on the measure. The measure passes.
• Ayes, 66. Ayes 60, noes 0 on the urgency. Ayes 60, noes 0 on the measure. The measure passes.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For the members to be aware, we will have the Alliance of Groundwater Districts testifying on the next
• We're working with a lot of our partners such as the Alliance of Groundwater Districts who have been
• I've already got confirmation, you know, the city of Dallas is buying water routes from certain individuals
• Adam Foster: I represent Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts.
• And we see more districts going that route, and with the funding that's been made available, a lot of

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's one route we take: you do one-time funding with pilot programs, and you have these regular
• Certainly, there have been instances where we've created programs through a lot of different routes that
• Certified Farmers' Market Advisory Committee, and I'm also providing leadership for the California Alliance
• My name is Yamila Perez-Aragone with Community Alliance with Family Farmers, representing more than 8,000

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For Camp Verde, this change is directly tied to State Route 260, an area that is also a federally designated
• The Yavapai Apache Nation recently obtained the State Route 260 corridor as part of a land exchange with
• Blackman and members of the committee, my name is Kirsten Pollitt, and I'm with Children's Action Alliance
• Yes, and I think my former person here who was from Children's Action Alliance made some good points

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills and resolutions, many of them on property, local government, and memorial topics. HB 2079, authorizing a memorial for journalist Don Bolles at Wesley Bolin Plaza, passed unanimously after sponsor testimony about the 50th anniversary of his assassination and the memorial’s no-cost nature. HB 2080, as amended, advanced 7-0 on deed and title fraud prevention measures, including photo ID requirements, notarization and deed-filing safeguards, an assessor alert program, and a felony penalty for knowingly submitting false or forged real-property claims. HB 464, which moves the petition process for municipal improvement districts earlier in the process, passed 5-2 after testimony from Camp Verde, the Yavapai Apache Nation, developers, and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns; opponents argued it could force property owners into infrastructure they do not want, while supporters said it improves transparency and financing certainty. HB 2048, a proposed constitutional referral to withhold pay from state elected officials if the budget is not enacted by April 30, passed 4-3, with supporters saying it would create accountability and opponents saying broader process reforms are needed first. The committee also heard HB 2324, which would allow municipalities with their own fire codes to petition for county-owned buildings inside city limits to be exempt from separate state fire code inspections when conditions are met. County and state fire officials supported the concept, saying it would resolve conflicting statutes and formalize intergovernmental agreements, and the bill passed 7-0. HB 4087, authorizing a memorial plaque for former legislator Barbara Leff, also passed unanimously, with the sponsor noting her service in both chambers and her work on veterans and health care issues. HB 2239, creating a child care grant program and infrastructure fund for underserved and low-income communities, drew extensive testimony from rural parents, child care advocates, and early childhood experts describing child care deserts, workforce losses, and safety concerns with unregulated care. Supporters said the bill would fund the facilities and infrastructure needed to expand regulated child care, especially in rural Arizona; the committee approved it 5-1 with one member present and one not voting. Members also discussed HB 2375, a historic-preservation-related middle housing bill, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown; testimony reflected a sharp divide between preservation advocates supporting exemptions for historic districts and housing advocates warning the bill could worsen exclusion and housing shortages.

Transcript Highlights:

• For Camp Verde, this change is directly tied to State Route 260, an area that is also a federally designated
• The Yavapai Apache Nation recently obtained land in the State Route 260 corridor as part of a land exchange
• Blackman and members of the committee, my name is Kirsten Pollitt, and I'm with Children's Action Alliance
• Yes, and I think my former person here who was from Children's Action Alliance made some good points

Committee: House Government

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So cannabinoids can be administered or taken by different routes of administration.
• adversely impacted by limiting product offerings to liquid forms of THC sold through one particular route
• Beyond limiting product offerings and the bill's existing route to market, market restrictions concerns
• The goal, the Drug Policy Alliance wants to legalize all drugs. I am from Pueblo, Colorado.
• I'm a member of the Texas Hemp Coalition and a board member of the East Texas Alliance of Hope.

Bills: HB28 , SB3 , SB 3

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, state health, youth protection, licensing fees, criminal offenses, flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, many proud members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Texas, the American Foundation
• According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately one in every five Americans, including
• There being 75 ayes and 66 nays, House Bill 3326 is passed to engrossment. They have to see this.
• Constitution, which says no state shall enter into a treaty, alliance, or confederation, or make anything

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, heard the invocation and pledges, and then took up a series of memorial resolutions and recognitions. Members adopted memorial resolutions honoring former President Jimmy Carter and Dr. Alice Gail Hudgens, with remarks highlighting their public service and community impact, and adopted resolutions recognizing Victoria College’s 100th anniversary and May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month. The chamber also recognized Texas A&M system interns and later granted permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. The House then moved through a long third-reading calendar, passing a number of bills on wide margins. Measures approved included SB 304 on municipal court jurisdiction over nuisance abatement ordinances, SB 608 on reporting evidence collection kits, SB 2312 creating a Texas Advisory Committee on Geopolitical Conflict, SB 494 creating a petroleum theft task force, SB 530 on postsecondary accreditation, HB 45 giving the Attorney General a role in prosecuting human trafficking cases, HB 35 on peer support for first responders, HB 47 and HB 3073 on sexual assault policy and prosecution, HB 318 and HB 3000 creating rural sheriff and ambulance grant programs, HB 554 on Juneteenth fireworks sales with county opt-in authority restored, HB 705 and HB 932 joining licensure compacts for cosmetology and occupational therapy, HB 849 allowing county park boards to meet by video conference, HB 1119 on mental health bed reporting, HB 3041 on students with nontraditional secondary education, HB 713 on maternal mortality review reporting, HB 3104 on Webb County bailiff appointments, HB 3970 on electricity planning for large loads, HB 4042 on Railroad Commission safety provisions for gas distribution pipelines, HB 4490 protecting next-of-kin information, HB 1731 on the physician assistant compact, HB 2607 on Walker County Hospital District governance, HB 3689 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association funding, HB 1788 on continuing education for barbers and cosmetologists about abuse and trafficking, HB 1612 on hospital direct payments for uninsured patients, and HB 138 on health impact cost and coverage analysis. Several bills drew extended debate or amendments. HB 353, creating a trespass offense near schools and daycares, prompted questions about constitutional concerns and property rights before passing. HB 3211 on optometrists in managed care plans received a perfecting amendment and a Medicaid-related amendment setting a minimum payment level. HB 1056 on gold and silver specie and a state-based currency prompted detailed questioning about its mechanics and fees, followed by a point of order challenging the caption. The House also adopted or postponed a number of items, including postponing HB 2520 and HB 1359 until later in the calendar before later passing both, and laying several bills on the table subject to call. Many measures passed overwhelmingly, while a few, including HB 3326 on loan forgiveness for adjunct professors and HB 3237 on energy consumption goals, passed with narrower margins.