Transcript Highlights:

• The meeting briefly discussed the Speaker-designate election process, and since only one candidate appeared
• Evans is the only announced candidate for Speaker-designate. For nominees for Speaker-designate.
• The meeting briefly discussed the Speaker-designate election process, and since only one candidate appeared
• Evans is the only announced candidate for Speaker-designate. Representative Warren, recognized.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, recognized guests, and adopted consent-calendar resolutions before taking up House Resolution 1052 regarding Arkansas Girls State. Rep. Vaught explained that about 150 eligible girls were denied registration because a counselor missed the deadline, and said the House would instead host an “elite Girls State” program for them this summer. He then moved to withdraw the resolution, and the withdrawal was accepted. The chamber also presented a citation to Pastor Richard Hamlin for his service during the session. The House then considered several Senate appropriation bills. Senate Bills 3, 4, 7, 15, 21, and 31 all passed with broad support and emergency clauses. Senate Bill 77, an unfunded appropriation related to Arkansas Television Network/PBS matching funds, drew extended debate. Supporters said it would encourage private donations and could help with programming and infrastructure, while opponents argued the department had not requested the money and that the House should not force additional funding. The bill failed on the first vote, was brought back for a second vote after questions about the rules and the nature of the appropriation, and failed again. After the fiscal session business concluded, Rep. Meeks moved to adjourn sine die, and the House agreed. The House caucus then met to elect the Speaker-designate for the 96th General Assembly. The chamber suspended the formal election process by voice vote and unanimously elected Speaker Brian S. Evans as Speaker-designate. Evans thanked members, reflected on the 95th General Assembly, and pledged continued leadership and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• What happens now is that administrator preparation programs are trying to prepare candidates for all
• section C, and it's the Department of Education may grant a superintendent license to an out-of-state candidate
• who does not meet the other requirements and qualifications of that. license if the candidate and it
• lists four points for that candidate.

Bills: HJR34, HB 113, HB184, HB198, HB247, HB367, HB449, HB1778, HB514, HB576, HB632, HB1395, HB2225, HB2582, HB2494, HB766, HB2715, HB2712, HB3069, HB3505, HB 1269, HB4224, HB3609, HB5032, HB2240, HB5180, HB3348, HB4668, HB4909, HB4665, HB4895, HB3395, HB3157, HB4762, HB4395, HB4325, HB4952, HB4386, HB4273, HB2760, HB2697, HB2820, HB1828, HB1768, HB1579, HB1773, HB1871, HB2035, HB2448, HB2492, HB1411, HB4753, HB4666, HB4529, HB1499, HB1610, HB2028, HB1506, HB886, HB3546, HB796, HB223, HB1475, HB3556, HB4638, HCR126, HB38, HB 104, SB1008, SB1106, SB1172, SB2629, SB2964, SB616, HB2214, SB552, HB3181, HB3628, HB589, HB3529, HB3354, HB333, HB2914, HB4130, HB4131, HB24, HB 1160, HB3962, HB4115, HB2295, HB5398, HB1407, HB3800, HB2613, HJR138, HB42, HJR34, HB 129, HB677, HB426, HB668, HB1699, HB2017, HB2128, HB2038, HB3783, HB3717, HB2316, HB3686, HB2563, HB3883, HB4021, HB2788, HB2663, HB3305, HB3173, HB3474, HB 1105, HB3531, HB3490, HB3597, HB 1295, HB3512, HB3010, HB3112, HB4215, HB3223, HB3464, HB3120, HB4214, HB4511, HB3704, HB4081, HB4783, HB4063, HB2783, HB4937, HB5085, HB2510, HB3426, HB4361, HB 1169, HB2516, HB2347, HB4034, HB4700, HB3560, HB5150, HB3860, HB3146, HB3924, HB 113, HB184, HB198, HB247, HB367, HB449, HB1778, HB514, HB576, HB632, HB1395, HB2225, HB2582, HB2494, HB766, HB2715, HB2712, HB3069, HB3505, HB 1269, HB4224, HB3609, HB5032, HB2240, HB5180, HB3348, HB4668, HB4909, HB4665, HB4895, HB3395, HB3157, HB4762, HB4395, HB4325, HB4952, HB4386, HB4273, HB2760, HB2697, HB2820, HB1828, HB1768, HB1579, HB1773, HB1871, HB2035, HB2448, HB2492, HB1411, HB4753, HB4666, HB4529, HB1499, HB1610, HB2028, HB1506, HB886, HB3546, HB796, HB223, HB1475, HB3556, HB4638, HCR98, HCR92, HCR126

Keywords: HJR 34, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, ad valorem tax, property tax exemption, real property, border counties, U.S.-Mexico border, United Mexican States, border security, border security infrastructure, landowner, county tax base, local government, tax relief, property value increase, infrastructure improvements, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, statutory construction

Transcript Highlights:

• Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, the Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on House Rules, Care, Ethics
• Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, the Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on House Rules, Care, Ethics

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• available, then a resident of an HOA is able to reserve that space on behalf of a qualified political candidate
• available, then a resident of an HOA is able to reserve that space on behalf of a qualified political candidate
• available, then a resident of an HOA is able to reserve that space on behalf of a qualified political candidate
• available, then a resident of an HOA is able to reserve that space on behalf of a qualified political candidate
• We encourage community association members to meet with elected representatives and candidates for office

Bills: HB112, HB199, HCR9

Keywords: school district, bond issuance, election dates, voter approval, Texas Education Code, HCR 9, Texas State Cemetery, Hill Country flood, July 4 2025 flood, Guadalupe River, Camp Mystic, memorial, monument, concurrent resolution, disaster remembrance, natural disaster, flood victims, survivors, State Preservation Board, Texas secretary of state

Summary: The Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development met with a quorum and moved quickly through a long agenda, hearing testimony and taking recorded votes on several bills. Early in the meeting, HB 2214 was laid out to exempt certain short-term residential leases and leaseback arrangements from flood-disclosure requirements; Texas Realtors supported the change, and the bill was left pending. The committee then voted out a series of pending measures, including HB 46, HB 186 (with a committee substitute), HB 431, HB 1147, HB 1154, HB 2468, HB 2488, HB 2788 (with a substitute), HB 2791 (with a substitute), HB 3260, and HCR 90, all reported favorably to the full House, with HB 1147 receiving two nays and the others passing unanimously or nearly so. A major portion of the hearing focused on HB 112, which would create a Texas Science Park district and commission to support advanced manufacturing and innovation sites. The bill’s author and supporters, including Samsung Austin Semiconductor, the Texas Association of Business, and the Governor’s economic development office, argued it would strengthen supply chains, attract investment, and support national security and workforce development. Testimony described interest from semiconductor and advanced manufacturing companies and referenced the model of foreign science parks such as Sinshu in Taiwan. HB 112 was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 3698 and HB 3699, both related to unemployment insurance administration. HB 3698 would expand eligibility for the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment program using federal funds, while HB 3699 would tighten the definition of “last work” to help the Texas Workforce Commission investigate UI fraud. Both bills were discussed with TWC resource witnesses and left pending after the committee withdrew the substitutes. HB 1349, which would extend HOA transparency and property-rights provisions to condominiums and refine HOA rules, and HB 621, which would require HOA meeting spaces to be available for residents to reserve for qualified political candidates or elected officials, were also heard and left pending. Finally, the committee heard HCR 9 to designate the first Saturday of each month as Small Business Saturday, HB 199 to index unemployment benefit duration to the state unemployment rate, and HB 3466 to exempt certain cancelable service contracts from Texas’s in-home sales cooling-off law; each drew supportive and opposing testimony and was left pending before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:19:16.480> conversion came back as strong conversion came back as strong conversion candidates
• but more importantly uh they candidates but more importantly uh they showed<00:19:19.360> us<
• What we understand is that about 15% of the buildings that are vacant would actually be good candidates
• <00:31:54.320> for actually be good candidates for actually be good candidates for residential
• thank you brief followup candidates thank you brief followup representative<00:40:24.319> Kowski<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We record the votes that each candidate received.
• We record the votes that each candidate received.
• We record the votes that each candidate received.
• We record the each candidate received.
• Uh we get calls from voters, we get calls from candidates.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this is a constituent bill which represents several guide candidates throughout New Hampshire.
• for guides that do not feel candidates for guides that do not feel the<04:09:55.680> same<04:
• The<04:10:21.439> amendment<04:10:22.080> provides<04:10:22.640> candidates<04:10
• :23.199> with The amendment provides candidates with The amendment provides candidates with an
• He's certainly one of the most ethical hunters I have ever run into, and so I feel he's a great candidate

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And line 22 and 23, the person that's sought to be removed may be a candidate himself.
• want to be a candidate.
• If that individual candidate himself.
• ,<00:14:06.480> they does not want to be a candidate, they does not want to be a candidate
• So they're by by to be a candidate.

Bills: SJ0001, SF0017

Keywords: mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, forestry management, good neighbor authority, state lands, employee funding, donations, revolving account, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We Work to meet candidates where they are in their education, provide support and programming through
• Teacher candidates who participate in co-designed residency partnerships, such as Ed Fellows, are far
• We anticipate that approximately 85 candidates will be eligible for certified licensure at the end of
• These 370 candidates are now enrolled in an EPP, so we're also seeing a boost to the enrollment in our
• And they were great candidates.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, the Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on House Rules, Care, Ethics
• Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, the Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on House Rules, Care, Ethics

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first suspended Rule 54 to allow guests on the floor, then took up and adopted Senate Resolution 65. The resolution recognized West Virginia as a global hub for critical mineral processing and encouraged lawful private-sector dialogue and commercial engagement between West Virginia businesses and rare earth/critical mineral institutions abroad, beginning with institutions in Somalia. The sponsor emphasized that the measure was nonbinding and intended to open conversation about minerals, processing, and advanced materials, and the resolution was adopted by voice vote. The chamber then recessed briefly to receive and introduce a visiting delegation from Somalia, including the deputy prime minister, ministers of petroleum/mineral resources and commerce/industry, parliamentary leadership, and diplomatic representatives, along with other guests involved in the visit. After the recess, the Senate received several Finance Committee reports and advanced multiple House bills on first reading: HB 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia program; HB 4006 creating the West Virginia Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Act; HB 2009 creating the Portable Benefit Account Act; HB 5412, the Future Ready Education Act; HB 5453 modifying the school aid funding formula; and HB 5510 removing the acreage/location requirement for private wedding venues. Each bill was reported as amended by Finance and taken up immediately without objection. During remarks, a senator from Randolph spoke about the death of Riley Wingfield in a side-by-side accident and praised students and administrators at Buckhannon-Upshur High School and Tucker County High School for wearing orange and black in solidarity with grieving Elkins High School students. The remarks were ordered placed in the Journal appendix. The Senate then announced adjournment until the next day at 10 a.m., with the Rules Committee scheduled to meet at 9:45 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• that you absolutely hate, that you absolutely cannot believe in, or even know whether morally or ethically
• <01:19:52.239> go<01:19:52.480> along<01:19:52.800> with morally or ethically
• go along with morally or ethically go along with or<01:19:54.960> do<01:19:55.280> we<
• <01:20:39.600> Thank<01:20:39.840> you, and ethically find absurd.
• Thank you, and ethically find absurd. Thank you, Representative<01:20:41.440> Brooks.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened after a brief recess for Appropriations, approved the journal from February 9, 2026, and then moved to third readings. House Bill 1038, concerning county commissioner redistricting, drew opposition from Representative DeGraaf, who argued the bill was an unnecessary state intrusion and criticized its emphasis on diversity and representation. Despite that, the bill passed third reading 40-25. House Bill 1020, dealing with field drug tests in drug possession cases, passed unanimously 65-0. House Bill 1040, concerning the sterilization rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, prompted extensive debate. Supporters, including Representatives Bradley, Bottoms, Brooks, DeGraaf, and Garcia, said the bill strengthens consent protections, prevents forced sterilization, and addresses Colorado’s history of discriminatory sterilization laws. Several speakers also raised concerns about broader consistency in protecting minors and vulnerable people, and Representative Luck noted a related organ-transplant conforming amendment that he hoped the Senate would refine. The bill passed 65-0. The final bill discussed was House Bill 1003, modifying the small business recovery and resiliency loan program. Representative DeGraaf opposed it, arguing it would extend government-backed loans and debt under vague hardship criteria, increase inflation, and amount to taxpayer-funded plunder. During that exchange, the chair cautioned him about name-calling after he referred to colleagues as “emo reps.” The transcript ends during continued debate on the bill, before any vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does anyone wish to set aside 3065, Ethics Commission; 3066, Judicial Performance Commission; 3068, Tax
• On 3065, the Ethics Commission, we are LBR plus $150,301.
• ><00:15:55.680> 3065 Does anyone wish to set aside 3065 Does anyone wish to set aside 3065 Ethics
• , 366 Judicial Ethics Commission, 366 Judicial Performance<00:15:58.959> Commission,<00:15:59.440
• Um, on 3065, the Ethics Commission, we are LBR plus $150,301.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 18 February, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee began with process instructions about using committee substitutes, identifying bills with reverse repealers, and taking up noncontroversial items in blocks. It then approved Senate Bill 3051, the DFA budget, which included LBR-level funding with a reverse repealer and agency-by-agency allocations for the status of women, DFA, tort claims, state property insurance, BEAM, and Mississippi Home Corporation. Senate Bill 3052, the governor’s support budget, was also approved as a final-action bill without a reverse repealer, with members noting the reduction from the prior year was tied to lower federal funding. The committee then handled the IHL budget bills. Senate Bill 3053, the general support bill, included a 3% across-the-board raise for IHL professors and $20 million for repair and renovation at universities, plus $5 million for UMMC; it passed as a committee substitute with a reverse repealer. Senate Bill 3054, the original IHL-related bill, passed without a committee substitute. Bills 3055 through 3059 were taken up in block and approved, providing 3% increases for A units at Alcorn State and Mississippi State. Senate Bill 3060, student financial aid, added about $7.7 million for scholarship costs, including MESG, MTAG, and Winters-Reed loan repayment, and passed as a committee substitute. The committee also approved the larger IHL budget bill with a reverse repealer and discussed, but did not fund, a UMMC cancer center request at that stage. Subcommittee 3 presented education-related bills. Senate Bill 3062 was approved at LBR with a reverse repealer and included a large transfer from the education enhancement fund. Senate Bill 3063 added $15 million for repair and renovation and $8.11 million for faculty pay raises, and passed as a committee substitute with a reverse repealer. On Senate Bill 3064, the Employment Security Commission budget, members discussed whether the committee substitute included a reverse repealer and noted they might revisit that on the floor if needed; the bill was advanced. Subcommittee 4 then took up Senate Bills 3065, 3066, 3068, and 3069 in block and approved them: Ethics Commission funding increased for salary realignment and a database; Judicial Performance Commission language was tightened to freeze the director’s salary and ensure youth court oversight funds were used solely for that purpose; Tax Appeals Board funding was increased to restore cuts and vacancy funding; and Workers’ Compensation Commission funding rose to cover commissioner salary increases and related language changes. Later, the committee approved Senate Bill 3067 for the Department of Public Safety, which included a reverse repealer, LBR-level funding, additional money for furniture for the new headquarters, and reappropriation language. Senate Bill 3071, the GCRF bill, was approved with a reverse repealer and reappropriation language for prior-year projects. Senate Bill 3072, the Department of Mental Health budget, was approved with a reverse repealer and included $12 million for the Canopy project, prior-year invoice funding, and language tied to mental health-related legislation. Finally, Senate Bills 3073 through 3075 were taken up in block for licensing boards, with increases for the Chiropractic Examiners, Dental Examiners, and Pharmacy boards, including funding for licensing system updates, vacancy funding, and expansion of the pharmacy recovery program.

Transcript Highlights:

• A recent study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center on some 900,000 prescribed Mifepristone abortions
• According to a study published by the Ethics and Public Policy Center on Chemical Abortion, 10.93% of
• A study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center found that after taking mifepristone, the first drug in
• In April, the Public Policy on Ethics conducted a study that found that in 2020, 53% of all abortions
• That is from the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Bills: SB10, SB16, SB6, SB 6, SB 10, SB 16

Keywords: trafficking, prostitution, affirmative defense, victims, criminal justice reform, victim rights, criminal justice, judicial reform, court procedures, mental health services, criminal penalties, court security, SB 6, Woman and Child Protection Act, abortion, abortion-inducing drugs, medication abortion, mifepristone, misoprostol, pro-life

Transcript Highlights:

• In these situations, an ethical practitioner, using... must ask the client to take the animal to a veterinarian
• Well, so which gets back to the part of if you have an ethical practitioner, now you're getting charged
• So, these are some of the problems that we see, is that somebody non-ethical is not going to sit there
• Whereas, in an ethical situation, now you've paid $65, $70 for this consultation here, and now you're
• Those of us that are ethical and trying to do the best that we can.

Bills: HB 43, HB 3364, HB 3469, HB 3479, HB 43, HB 3364, HB 3469, HB 3479

Keywords: agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, veterinarian, veterinary medicine, veterinary telemedicine, telehealth, telemedicine, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, animal health, livestock, pets, remote care, electronic means, telephone consultation, controlled substances, prescription drugs

Summary: The second bill, House Bill 3469, was introduced to address pest control regulations concerning nuisance birds. Representative Campos explained how the bill proposes non-lethal methods to deter these birds, such as the use of laser lights and sounds, which avoids conflict with both state and federal regulations. The committee heard impassioned testimonies from members of the public who shared firsthand experiences regarding the adverse effects of these birds on property and public health. The meeting concluded with both bills being left pending, reflecting a desire for further deliberation among the committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• 60% minority, only 13 districts allow voters of color to regularly and consistently elect their candidate
• To elect the candidate of their choice.
• They get to choose the candidates that go to Congress. So we have the inverse here.

Transcript Highlights:

• distinct disconnect between the availability of certified, well-prepared teachers. prepared teacher candidates
• The PREP allotment provides funding to districts, PREP program programs, and teacher candidates.
• The art of teaching in a true resident fashion and it also funds the candidate, the teacher candidate
• This bill provides logical requirements for certification, strong support for candidates, and school
• Opportunities to learn and learn like I had are desperately needed to attract more candidates to enter

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, my comments actually go to every candidate that's running for governor.
• I'm not inclined to tell gubernatorial candidates what to do.
• I'm not inclined to tell gubernatorial candidates what to do.
• Force Base and the proximity to Rose State College and Tinker Air Force Base makes him the perfect candidate

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 123 prohibits a person from making certain statements that threaten or intimidate a candidate
• conduct an investigation or refer suspected violations to the Attorney General and report to the candidate
• conduct an investigation or refer suspected violations to the Attorney General and report to the candidate
• Assembly Bill 123 changes provisions for when people are threatened if they are a candidate for public

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• issues, there's things that people have differing opinions on and we have to make sure we're having a candid
• c><00:01:44.960> we're<00:01:45.200> having<00:01:45.280> a<00:01:45.439> candid
• have to make sure we're having a candid have to make sure we're having a candid conversation<00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all