Transcript Highlights:

• all other violations from 100 to 300. all other violations from 100 to 300.
• So, where will my other costs<01:14:01.840> come<01:14:02.120> from? costs come from?
• costs come from?
• How much comes from the governor's immediate staff? How much comes from the department?
• Were anything was anything taken from from from um,<01:32:45.400> the<01:32:45.560> Optum

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Positions from the Hotel and Lodging Association. Opposition from the Calypso Charters and members.
• proposed process would be exempt from proposed process would be exempt from HRS<00:32:25.159>
• <00:43:54.000> Jackson I think you'll also hear from Jackson I think you'll also hear from
• How many projects aside from yours, from ours, the state, is on hold?
• Lawrence Aier from NELHA, are you on Zoom? Aloha. Yeah, L from NELHA.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Water and Land Committee heard several measures related to DLNR, coastal management, and public lands. SB 561, which appropriates funds for conservation enforcement equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, drew broad support from DLNR and multiple organizations, with the chair noting 18 supporters and no opposition. SB 465 would require DLNR to study the carrying capacity of Kīkiʻola Small Boat Harbor on Kauaʻi and report to the Legislature; DLNR supported the intent but suggested the study be timed with an ongoing $41 million capital improvement project. Senator Kouchi explained the bill was meant to close a permit loophole that has allowed operators to increase passenger capacity without additional approval, while one testifier opposed the measure as unnecessary and late. Supporters included county and community representatives, while some written testimony opposed it. The committee also heard SB 1456, which broadens the definition of beach restoration to include work on eroded beaches and degraded dune systems, including sand management, native vegetation, and removal of abandoned materials. DLNR, the University of Hawaiʻi, and other testifiers supported the measure as an administrative update. SB 1460 would require BLNR lease extensions to use updated forms reflecting current leasing practices; DLNR supported it as an administrative bill. SB 1517 would authorize public land leases for recreational residential use by public lottery limited to county residents. DLNR supported the bill, and Chipper Wiman and others testified that it would help preserve Kauaʻi’s historic recreational cabins and create fairness for local families; the committee also heard concerns about older cabins, market-based auction prices, and the need to keep these leases affordable for residents. The committee then heard SB 1511, which would prohibit vessels longer than 75 feet from entering Honoliʻi Bay, with an exemption for government vessels; DLNR and at least one additional testifier supported it. SB 1019 would allow the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund to be used for beach restoration planning and grants to nonprofits for cleanup, but DLNR said that purpose fit better under the separate Beach Restoration Special Fund, and the Ocean Tourism Coalition opposed the bill on that basis. Finally, SB 1457 would authorize DLNR to issue interim rules on commercial and recreational water sports equipment use for up to two years; DLNR described it as an adaptive-management tool for changing conditions, while multiple water-sports operators and residents opposed it, arguing it would reduce public participation, expand agency power, and target the foiling community. The hearing closed with the chair noting heavy opposition to SB 1457, including 88 written testimonies against it and only a few in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• from the from three conversion therapy from the from three directions.<00:08:29.919> Uh<00:08
• from being here. Thank you. from being here. Thank you.
• Minnesotans from conversion therapy. Minnesotans from conversion therapy.
• or Miss Ryan will take the Um and Miss or Miss Ryan will take the roll.<02:12:48.360> Chair<02
• money from our kids. money from our kids.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• advocacy from decision-making. advocacy from decision-making.
• a lot from them. a lot from them.
• questions from the committee? questions from the committee?
• from beginning to end. from beginning to end.
• discussion from committee? discussion from committee? See<00:53:00.319> none.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , then I thou will heal from wicked ways, then I thou will heal from heaven<00:06:49.280> and<
• Or is this gonna take away resources<02:58:44.319> from resources from resources from the<02:58
• on board placement. on board placement.
• Not from any other boards. That's right. Not from any other external<03:52:27.439> power.
• You get exempt from that. exemptions. You get exempt from that.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• genesis which is to protect folks from genesis which is to protect folks from significant<00:04:
• <00:13:34.240> those will occur after we hear from those will occur after we hear from those
• <00:18:23.039> my a problem and you will note from my a problem and you will note from my
• Opula uh from the I'm a deputy attorney Opula uh from the I'm a deputy attorney general<00:28:38.960>
• <00:31:07.279> of internships to full-time placements of internships to full-time placements

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 2567, a Judiciary package measure concerning temporary restraining orders for threats and harassment tied to a public employee’s official actions. Representatives from the Attorney General’s Office and the Judiciary said they had worked out a compromise to address earlier concerns, including a two-year pilot project, broader coverage for state officers and employees across all branches and counties, a special fund to pay for private counsel in some cases, and authority for Judiciary staff attorneys or Judiciary funds to represent Judiciary personnel. Members asked about coverage for retired judges, funding limits, and whether the measure could be used for workplace disputes; the witnesses said retired judges and per diem judges could be covered if the harassment related to their work, the fund would be limited and subject to available appropriations, and petitions would not be allowed between employees in the same branch. The chair recommended passage with amendments, and the committee adopted the recommendation unanimously. The committee then heard SB 2448, which creates a civil remedy for the unauthorized disclosure of intimate images under the Uniform Civil Remedies for Unauthorized Disclosure of Intimate Images Act. The bill’s proponent from the Uniform Law Commission explained that a plaintiff would need to show intentional disclosure or threat of disclosure of a private intimate image without consent, and said the privacy question would be fact-specific. Supporters, including the Commission on the Status of Women and Imua Alliance, favored giving survivors civil recourse. Opponents from the Sex Abuse Treatment Center and others warned that the term "private" could invite victim-blaming and broad discovery into a survivor’s past, while still acknowledging the need for some privacy limitation to avoid overbreadth, especially for people who intentionally distribute intimate content online. Committee members questioned whether the definition of "private" should be tightened. The bill’s proponent said the term should remain because it aligns with the related criminal statute and helps keep the measure focused on classic revenge-porn situations, while still allowing Hawaii-specific changes if needed. The committee did not take final action on SB 2448 in the portion provided, but testimony and discussion centered on balancing survivor protections with concerns about discovery and the scope of liability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sure, so this information all gets pulled from the budget from the galley.
• So this campus, San Diego, from 2012 to 2020, our four-year graduation rates have gone up from 55% to
• As we heard from the LAO, the EC...
• We just heard from our Chancellor that graduation rates have gone up in a four-year time frame from 55%
• There are proposals from the Governor's budget on this, and we want to hear those proposals from the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an update from the proposal presented at the April 9 hearing.
• We're excited to hear from each and every one of you.
• The expansion from the current-year appropriation...
• The proposal also increases the award amount from $10,000 to $20,000, and the service requirement from
• And that is happening at a time when we're hearing from the field that there is a lot of concern from

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard May Revision proposals covering higher education, including the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, the University of California, California Community Colleges, the California Student Aid Commission, UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and trailer bill reporting changes. For the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, the administration proposed a one-time $10 million General Fund backfill to repay a special fund loan taken to cover litigation costs, plus provisional language to adjust for a pending legal expense and to repay the loan without interest. The LAO opposed shifting costs to the General Fund and raised legal concerns about an interest-free loan under Proposition 26. Senators asked about whether the $10 million would cover the litigation and about the estimated $245,000 in interest savings. For UC, the May Revision maintained the Governor’s ongoing support and included budget language requiring campuses to grow by 2,968 California undergraduates in 2026-27. UC also sought $1.5 million in one-time General Fund support for the First Star foster youth program. UC described strong outcomes for the UCLA program, while the LAO recommended rejecting the new spending because UC already has overlapping outreach programs, including the Early Academic Outreach Program, and because the need for new state funding was not clear. Senators debated whether the proposal duplicated existing services and discussed the program’s reported college-going and completion rates. The committee also heard a request for $1 million ongoing General Fund for UC College of the Law, San Francisco, to maintain campus safety services; the college described its shared-campus model and public-interest mission, while the LAO noted the college was also raising tuition and that the proposal would maintain, rather than expand, current security spending. The committee then reviewed community college proposals. Finance outlined a larger May Revision package centered on a 4.31% SCFF COLA, enrollment growth funding, categorical COLAs, a one-time Adult Learner Demonstration Project allocation, deferred maintenance, and other ongoing and one-time items. The Chancellor’s Office supported the package but asked for more enrollment growth funding, a higher growth rate, and additional policy changes. The LAO recommended at least funding the statutory 2.87% COLA, then considering whether to redirect remaining funds to enrollment growth, categorical COLAs, or one-time priorities; it recommended rejecting the Adult Learner Demonstration Project. Senators questioned the use of the discretionary COLA to cover paid pregnancy disability leave, the impact on hold harmless and basic aid districts, and whether the state should instead create a separate categorical. The Chancellor’s Office and Finance said the COLA approach was intended to provide flexibility, though Finance said it was open to further discussion about districts that would not receive direct funding. For student aid, Finance described May Revision changes to Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship, including a one-time reduction tied to lower estimated costs and a later true-up, as well as proposals for the Golden State Teacher Grant Program and implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. CSAC supported the financial aid investments but urged more time and clearer implementation planning for Workforce Pell, noting the need for state approval processes, data linkages, and likely ongoing administrative workload. The LAO recommended rejecting additional Golden State Teacher Grant funding and cautioned that the Workforce Pell trailer bill and one-time funding were premature given the new federal rules and unclear workload. Senators also raised concerns about the Middle Class Scholarship reduction, the need to support students facing higher living costs, and the decline in CADA/DREAM Act applications, with CSAC saying the drop did not reflect reduced need and that outreach should be strengthened. The final item was a set of technical trailer bill changes to shift some UC, CSU, and community college reporting from annual to biennial and consolidate reports; Finance said there were no programmatic changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes a lot of resources from from funding to labor to materials.
• And I know we have another presentation from from commerce later that they can help offset some of these
• I want to start by saying I think you guys have done a stellar job from from planning to execution.
• But where's the labor coming from where the bodies coming from?
• Up from 52%.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• bill from 25 years ago.
• First, results from sound...
• I'm from Boston.
• I'm from Cape Cod.
• Oh, Nora Hussie from JP. Thank you very much. Questions from the committee?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills focused on pesticides, pollinators, rodenticides, mosquito control, invasive species, and local authority over pesticide regulation. Chair Becca Rausch set strict two-minute testimony limits due to the very large number of speakers. Early testimony from Senator Moore and Representative Hawkins strongly supported a bill to restrict second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, citing harms to wildlife, pets, and public health, and noting that California has already adopted a similar model. Testimony also supported a Lowell home rule petition to allow the city to prohibit or restrict these rodenticides, with local officials describing documented raptor poisonings and municipal efforts to phase out use on city property. A major portion of the hearing focused on pollinator protection and neonicotinoid-treated seeds. Witnesses from environmental groups, conservation organizations, academics, and beekeepers argued that neonics harm bees and other beneficial insects, contaminate soil and water, and provide little or no economic benefit in most corn and soybean fields. Several speakers pointed to New York, Vermont, and Quebec as models for restricting treated seeds, and one panel cited research showing only a small percentage of fields benefit economically from the treatments. Support was also voiced for a bill establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program, with advocates criticizing aerial and truck spraying and urging non-chemical, locally tailored approaches. Other testimony supported bills to reform the pesticide board and pesticide regulation process, to give vulnerable municipalities more local control over pesticide use, to protect schoolchildren from pesticides on school grounds, and to respond to invasive species through a centralized state office, coordinator, strategic plan, and trust fund. Many speakers, including representatives from Mass Audubon, MSPCA, the Xerces Society, the Sierra Club, watershed groups, and local wildlife rehabilitators, described impacts on hawks, owls, pets, fish, and broader ecosystems. No votes were taken during the hearing, and committee members generally asked few questions, with the hearing remaining in testimony mode throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:11.959> Olmsted you will find a letter from Olmsted you will find a letter from Olmsted
• donations with technical support from donations with technical support from GMCC.
• <00:45:08.520> So, come from this March campaign. So, come from this March campaign.
• from Representative Hicks. from Representative Hicks.
• families benefit from the program. families benefit from the program.

Bills: HF1660, HF1824, HF1926, HF1002, HF994, HF1915, HF1336

Keywords: children, youth programming, needs assessment, community engagement, state funding, education, funding, school districts, state budget, rural schools, food support, Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, food shelves, grant funding, Minnesota FoodShare, early childhood, Head Start, education funding, developmental programs, literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• John Teague from Preston, Washington.
• Speaker, House Bill 1722 prohibits TxDOT from prohibiting or restricting a person from accessing the
• So our local governance doesn't have any impact on these entities from from some distant jurisdiction
• You miss Luther, for what purpose?
• Where is it from? It is from Brenham, Texas. Awesome. Well, welcome to the Texas House. Thank you.

Bills: HJR98, HJR8, HJR133, HB23, HB33, HB144, HB 109, HB 103, HB148, HB3809, HB1686, HB2217, HB2156, HB220, HB2421, HB2363, HB3773, HB421, HB2584, HB2615, HB2455, HB3711, HB2559, HB3747, HB2775, HB2886, HB3126, HB3666, HB3595, HB3260, HB3506, HB1638, HB3376, HB3826, HB3628, HB1349, HB3770, HB1831, HB1762, HB2614, HB3113, HB267, HB322, HB431, HB869, HB 1203, HB 1201, HB 1244, HB1875, HB1950, HB2152, HB2290, HB2341, HB2436, HB2809, HB2856, HB3012, HB2954, HCR56, HCR102, HB 107, HB1587, HB3684, HB658, HJR99, HB1399, HJR5, HJR2, HJR6, HJR31, HB1971, SJR3, HB1775, HJR72, HB502, HB3109, HJR98, HJR8, HJR133, HB 118, HB388, HB 114, HB205, HB2789, HB2791, HB499, HB2960, HB3163, HB3135, HB2427, HB1618, HB1672, HB1722, HB1338, HB787, HB2618, HB879, HB 1126, HB4134, HB3513, HB718, HB1536, HB1445, HB1640, HB1893, HB1734, HB3229, HB3306, HB 1276, HB3272, HB3276, HB3516, HB4145, HB1585, HB4810, HB2989, HB2558, HB3014, HB2742, HB1695, HB23, HB33, HB144, HB 109, HB 103, HB148, HB3809, HB1686, HB2217, HB2156, HB220, HB2421, HB2363, HB3773, HB421, HB2584, HB2615, HB2455, HB3711, HB2559, HB3747, HB2775, HB2886, HB3126, HB3666, HB3595, HB3260, HB3506, HB1638, HB3376, HB3826, HB3628, HB1349, HB3770, HB1831, HB1762, HB2614, HB3113, HB267, HB322, HB431, HB869, HB 1203, HB 1201, HB 1244, HB1875, HB1950, HB2152, HB2290, HB2341, HB2436, HB2809, HB2856, HB3012, HB2954, HCR56, HCR102

Keywords: Article V, federal government, fiscal restraints, constitutional amendment, term limits, nuclear energy, electric generation, funding, Texas nuclear development fund, advanced reactors, HJR 133, Texas constitutional amendment, ad valorem tax, property tax exemption, homestead exemption, surviving spouse, veteran, veterans benefits, service-connected death, presumed service-connected condition

Transcript Highlights:

• Right, this came from Spring Branch. ISD. Got it. Members any questions? Thank you, Mr.
• So we're. recovering from the floor earlier, but thank you for the opportunity.
• And you're not saying that we should remove those. from our standards.
• As Texans we want to move away from DEI and CRT ideology and education.
• One is, this is overreach from a non- ungovernmental pro-abortion organization.

Bills: SB207, SB611, SB920, SB1174, SB1207, SB1325, SB1396, SB1551, SB1619

Keywords: SB 207, Texas Education Code, public school attendance, excused absence, mental health appointment, mental health care, behavioral health, school district, student absenteeism, same-day return, health care professionals, physician certification, religious holy days, court appearance, DFPS, foster care, education policy, student wellness, school mental health, attendance policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I've, as a rider to appropriate additional general revenue collected from the inspection. program placement
• And so, from an advantage point, were these right, are these the right?
• In compliance with SB 17, the DEI change from last session, we have received one positive response from
• I did see a. from the University of Texas from Chancellor Milliken yes right I haven't seen that one
• Letters from the, that was sent out by the work group.

Bills: SB 1

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

Transcript Highlights:

• and approved unanimously by our delegation from Marion County.
• Brackett: Removes special districts from the bill.
• Chair: Questions from the sponsor on the amendment?
• Gantt: I was not asking from Miami, it's a city, you know.
• Okay, question from Representative Gantt. Rep. Gantt: So what is required?

Transcript Highlights:

• going to miss some people.
• The sample is determined from the original address list, so those units that are missed and don't make
• By the way, I want you to divorce that top row from any calculations you make from here on in.
• from various sources.
• And on age, it was about 16% or so, 17% missing. Essentially, item non-response, missing.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census met on December 8 at 9:32 a.m. to examine the dynamics that drive census undercounts and overcounts, with testimony first from Joseph Salvo and then from Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute. Salvo explained the Census Bureau’s two main evaluation tools: demographic analysis, which uses vital records, migration estimates, and Medicare data to produce a national benchmark, and the post-enumeration survey (PES), which compares a separate sample-based count to the census. He said the 2020 census showed a small national net undercount, but larger age- and race-based disparities, including the highest undercount among children ages 0 to 4, higher undercounts for men, substantial undercounts for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and overcounts among some older and college-age groups. He also described how self-response, non-response follow-up, administrative records, proxy responses, and imputation affected data quality, arguing that proxies and imputation were especially weak and that outreach remains critical for 2030. Committee members asked Salvo to clarify the methods and error bands, the role of international migration estimates, and how the PES differs from the census address list and LUCA. He explained that PES is based on a separate sample of blocks and can add units within sampled blocks, but it does not measure units missed entirely from the original address list; LUCA matters because it improves that list before enumeration. He also discussed age heaping, duplicate responses among older adults, and why group quarters and COVID-related disruptions complicated the 2020 count. Senator Driscoll briefly interrupted to describe Randolph’s successful appeal of its 2020 count after an undercount in disability care homes, and Salvo noted that the post-census group quarters review helped correct some missed facilities. Susan Strait then focused on Massachusetts-specific results. She said Massachusetts’ 2020 count was strong overall, with population growth above the national average and a PES-based finding that the state was overcounted by 2.24 percent, though she emphasized that this did not mean all areas were accurately counted. Using demographic analysis, she said Massachusetts had an estimated 4.15 percent undercount of children ages 0 to 4, with the largest county-level undercounts in Hampden, Suffolk, and Essex, and she linked higher child undercounts to lower educational attainment and female-headed households. Strait also reviewed operational metrics showing that Massachusetts had relatively strong internet self-response, but that non-response follow-up relied heavily on household interviews, administrative records, proxies, and imputation in different counties. She highlighted higher proxy use in college-heavy counties such as Hampshire and Suffolk, and said counties with more minority residents were more likely to have population-count-only cases and other indicators of harder-to-count populations. The hearing ended with discussion of how these findings could inform outreach and census planning for 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we, the Jewish people, rise from the ashes.
• That is separate from participate in any political campaign.
• So we're missing the mark.
• And I'm talking about people that are from zero to age 99.
• We're going to take it from 90 days to 30 days upon first conviction and from six months to 90 days upon

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions and introductions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and a moment of silence for Pope Francis. The chamber then took up a motion to reconsider the prior day’s failed vote on CS for SB 1080 (local government land regulation), which was adopted without objection, and moved into the special order calendar. A series of bills were debated and mostly passed, often after substituting House companions. Measures approved included funding for expedited DNA testing grants, additional aggravating factors in capital cases, fertility preservation coverage for cancer patients, commuter rail indemnification, migrant vessel disposition, specialty license plates, an Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness campaign, relocation of the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University, charter school changes, sexual offender registration updates, utility worker assault/battery penalties, juvenile justice revisions, student mental health outcome reporting, foster home licensure transfers, water access facilities, Florida Virtual School changes, school readiness resources for children with disabilities, sexual images/child exploitation penalties, tampering with electronic monitoring devices, certified recovery residences, the FSU Election Law Center, the Office of Faith and Community, and bonuses for county tax collector/property appraiser employees. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, benefits for certain officers injured in the line of duty, school social workers, and brownfields. Debate centered on public safety, health care access, education, recovery housing, and government administration. Some of the most substantive discussion came on the Office of Faith and Community bill, where an amendment to bar political activity by office staff was offered and defeated after extended debate over election-related communications and the proper scope of existing ethics laws. The certified recovery residences bill also drew extensive support and testimony about addiction recovery and housing stability. Most bills passed on strong bipartisan votes, with a few receiving notable opposition, including the charter schools bill, the aggravating factors bill, and the Office of Faith and Community bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was watching it from the beginning.
• We received funds from the state health department, from the department of human services, from mental
• And he mentioned that he would like to see an increase in that, both from you, both from OSU and OU.
• The good part is from a physical standpoint and just from being fiduciary responsible.
• That's where that's going to be from our administration, from our agency. Thank you, members.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will truly miss my Senate family.
• Vevvy is from Crescent City,... and we connected immediately because my family is from Crescent City
• It prohibits a physician from performing stem cell therapies with stem cells obtained from a facility
• Anyone from St.
• And it wasn't from your campaign. It was from somebody else. Another campaign or PC, or whoever.

Bills: HB135, HCR64, SCR3, SCR30, SB500, SB739, SB816, SB898, SB1283, SB1351, SB1423, SB1531, SB1540, SB1666, SB1721, SB1886, SB1931, SB2001, SB2075, SB2154, SB2173, SB2217, SB2284, SB2375, SB2383, SB2386, SB2398, SB2448, SB2476, SB2540, SB2580, SB2589, SB2693, SB2707, SB2776, SB2786, SB2801, SB2864, SB2927, SJR84, SCR30, SB243, SB324, SB393, SB457, SB511, SB529, SB547, SB636, SB646, SB659, SB715, SB731, SB735, SB800, SB801, SB904, SB1065, SB1141, SB1181, SB1224, SB1241, SB1242, SB1250, SB1266, SB1285, SB1359, SB1434, SB1442, SB1467, SB1502, SB1524, SB1528, SB1551, SB1585, SB1640, SB1754, SB1757, SB1777, SB1844, SB1863, SB1972, SB2007, SB2035, SB2046, SB2055, SB2069, SB2082, SB2119, SB2139, SB2154, SB2200, SB2201, SB2269, SB2310, SB2330, SB2357, SB2366, SB2401, SB2422, SB2514, SB2530, SB2533, SB2543, SB2544, SB2550, SB2568, SB2589, SB2660, SB2693, SB2695, SB2707, SB2717, SB2721, SB2742, SB2753, SB2807, SB2846, SB2891, SB2925, SB2938, SJR3, SJR18, SB5, SB326, SB767, SB769, SB783, SB914, SB963, SB1035, SB1197, SB1271, SB1415, SB1437, SB1619, SB1637, SB1786, SB1806, SB494, SB530, SB2312, SB1, SB260, HB135, HB 1109, HB1392, HB22, HCR64, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SJR84, SJR59, SCR12, SCR39, SCR48, SCR19, SCR30, SCR3, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB1073, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB1502, SB507, SB1434, SB1376, SB1585, SB1772, SB2016, SB1163, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB261, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB209, SB2429, SB1999, SB511, SB2309, SB510, SB1085, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB1524, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB517, SB1200, SB1845, SB1863, SB2681, SB2200, SB2199, SB1757, SB2458, SB2201, SB801, SB2533, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB1721, SB1013, SB2797, SB2383, SB2119, SB2448, SB1777, SB1283, SB2076, SB2786, SB2876, SB2284, SB1540, SB2929, SB2540, SB2595, SB2217, SB715, SB500, SB1640, SB2001, SB2514, SB2753, SB2398, SB1241, SB2927, SB2173, SB2538, SB898, SB1449, SB2529, SB2846, SB2476, SB986, SB1181, SB2075, SB2154, SB2864, SB1359, SB2386, SB2550, SB1351, SB1423, SB1931, SB2245, SB2589, SB2707, SB410, SB2776, SB2580, SB1886, SB1234, SB739, SB456, SB1666, SB2801, SB2055, SB1012, SB2926, SB2138, SB1242, SB2615, SB2310, SB1224, SB2972, SB2841, SB3016, SB2139, SB1856, SB2035, SB1528, SB1141, SB2401, SB2530, SB2375, SB547, SB1266, SB1373, SB1467, SB2069, SB2269, SB2480, SB672, SB904, SB2695, SB2891, SB2422, SB2543, SB1854, SB317, SB2539, SB2532, SB2925, SB1250, SB2082, SB2203, SB457, SB2357, SB2721, SB243, SB1285, SB2568, SB1959, SB1442, SB1454, SB2520, SB2541, SB1708, SB1237, SB1844, SB1586, SB1551, SB3039, SB2819, SB66, SB629, SB1015, SB2342, SB2903, SB2933, SB1965, SB2477, SB3029, SB2605, SB2419, SB1957, SB375, SB250, SB777, SB628, SB2523, SB2367, SB2703, SB2608, SB2778, SB3044, SB2965, SB2521, SB865, HB2525, HB3093, SB1032, SB2165, SB2501, SB2675, SB2452, SB2835, SJR84, SB457, SB547, SB904, SB1467, SB1757, SB1777, SB2055, SB2069, SB2139, SB2401, SB2530, SB2543, SB2695, SR349, SR367, SR468, SB3064, SB3065, HJR7, HB 119, HB 130, HB163, HB166, HB201, HB272, HB331, HB380, HB654, HB694, HB718, HB865, HB 1266, HB1397, HB1500, HB1552, HB1576, HB1583, HB1584, HB1760, HB1894, HB1965, HB2018, HB2029, HB2286, HB2340, HB2427, HB2455, HB2467, HB2508, HB2523, HB2730, HB2756, HB2791, HB2970, HB3016, HB3096, HB3248, HB3255, HB3336, HB3623, HB3698, HB3699, HB3803, HB3804, HB3805, HB3806, HB4129, HB4187, HB4236, HB4238, HB4643, HB4738, HB4739, HB5333, SCR3, SCR30, SB500, SB739, SB898, SB1283, SB1351, SB1423, SB1540, SB1666, SB1721, SB1886, SB1931, SB2001, SB2075, SB2154, SB2173, SB2217, SB2375, SB2383, SB2386, SB2398, SB2448, SB2476, SB2540, SB2580, SB2589, SB2707, SB2776, SB2786, SB2801, SB2864, SB2927, HB135, HCR64, SB2284, SB3064, SB3065, HJR7, HB 119, HB 130, HB163, HB166, HB201, HB272, HB331, HB380, HB654, HB694, HB718, HB865, HB 1266, HB1397, HB1500, HB1552, HB1576, HB1583, HB1584, HB1760, HB1894, HB1965, HB2018, HB2029, HB2286, HB2340, HB2427, HB2455, HB2467, HB2508, HB2523, HB2730, HB2756, HB2791, HB2970, HB3016, HB3096, HB3248, HB3255, HB3336, HB3623, HB3698, HB3699, HB3803, HB3804, HB3805, HB3806, HB4129, HB4187, HB4236, HB4238, HB4643, HB4738, HB4739, HB5333

Keywords: sales tax exemption, exotic animals, game animals, agriculture, livestock, gifted education, education support, student achievement, academic excellence, Texas education, cowboy culture, Bandera, cultural heritage, historical significance, Texas identity, Birding Capital, Matagorda County, wildlife, conservation, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• It looks like I'm reading from a script.
• And we will now move on to welcoming Eric Winger from UW and Matt Skinner from Wazoo.
• These data would also significantly benefit from additional narrative from each of the institutions to
• fund are being swapped out with funds from WIA. ...and then the funds from those other accounts are
• spending from the account actually came from HB 2158 itself.

Summary: The Joint Higher Education Committee met for a work session on higher education accounting practices and financial transparency. OFM Deputy Director Sarah Rupp explained how state accounting rules and higher education reporting differ, including what data is captured in AFRS today and what will move into Workday, with universities generally reporting summary-level fund data, mandatory codes, and most balance sheet and income statement activity, but not transaction-level detail or vendor payment information. Representatives from the University of Washington and Washington State University described the complexity of their own accounting systems, the many entities and business lines they must track for audits and compliance, and the need to reconcile university-level accrual accounting with state reporting requirements. The committee also heard from the Education Research and Data Center on the public four-year finance dashboard created under Senate Bill 5512; ERDC said the dashboard is based on publicly available data, is best used to examine institutions individually rather than compare them directly, and will be updated with additional metrics in 2025 and 2026. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington Student Achievement Council on the Workforce Education Investment Account (WIA). Joel Anderson reviewed WIA’s creation under House Bill 2158, its revenue sources, and its intended uses for higher education, financial aid, and workforce development. He said recent legislation significantly increased WIA revenues and that, in the 2025–27 budget, the account is being used in new ways, including to replace general fund support for University of Washington operations and to fund a larger share of the Washington College Grant and some faculty compensation costs. Anderson said roughly 98% of current WIA appropriations go to higher education, but the share used to supplant other higher education funding has grown, and he estimated about 60% to 70% of current spending still aligns with the account’s original intent. He also described a new effort to track WIA appropriations across biennia in more detail and noted the WIA Oversight Board’s role in recommending uses of the account and monitoring outcomes. No votes were taken; the committee ended by moving into executive session for staffing issues and then adjourned.