Transcript Highlights:

• traffic to ensure.
• I believe it's communication. management and a plan.
• You have management manuals as well, correct? Yes, sir.
• Employees that just manage that.
• I'm the sales manager for Steel Dynamics down in San Patricio County.

Bills: HB2007, HB2863, HB2921, HB3331, HB3332, HJR144, HB3514, HB3528, HB3720, HB3751, HB3859, HB3947, HB4148, HB4346, HB4880, HB5603, HB4337

Keywords: commercial signs, county approval, transportation code, regulations, road signage, vehicle title, revocation, hearing process, Transportation Code, county assessor-collector, confidentiality, personal information, local government, airport data, public records, vehicle regulation, transportation, steel industry, state fees, safety standards

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to be thoughtful about our approach to managing our forests.
• To save our forests we must manage them and we must manage them in their entirety.
• The Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service.
• mine, that depend on them to manage our public lands.
• That could lead to more active forest management.

Bills: HB471

Keywords: forest management, wildfire prevention, public lands, Tribal jurisdiction, Fix Our Forests Act, wildfire, forest health, hazardous fuels reduction, fuels treatment, prescribed burning, mechanical thinning, mastication, fuel breaks, fire breaks, wildland-urban interface, WUI, fireshed, fireshed management area, fireshed registry, Fireshed Center

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on H.R. 471, the Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to address the ongoing crisis of wildfires exacerbated by climate change and the need for updated forest management practices. Various committee members voiced concerns about past federal management failures and emphasized the necessity for collaborative approaches involving local communities and stakeholders in forest management. As discussions unfolded, there were varying perspectives on the implications of certain provisions in the bill, particularly around regulatory changes and their likely impacts on public participation and environmental reviews.

Bills: SCR56, SCR25, SCR79, SCR179, SCR181, SCR182, SR54, SR22, SR81, SR174, SR176, SR177

Keywords: lifeguards, first responders, public safety, ocean safety, emergency response, community wellbeing, Pohakuloa, condemnation, federal government, land sovereignty, Hawaii, native Hawaiians, public trust land, invasive species, octocoral, Pearl Harbor, environment, Navy responsibility, marine ecosystem, ecosystem preservation

Summary: The committee first heard SCR 56 and SR 54, which recognize open water lifeguards as first responders and acknowledge their role in emergency response and public safety. Testifiers from the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, Hawaii Water Safety Coalition, Honolulu and Kauai Ocean Safety, and a junior guard all strongly supported the resolutions, describing lifeguards as often first on scene for drownings, cardiac arrest, spinal injuries, flooding rescues, and other emergencies. Several speakers said formal recognition would better reflect the work lifeguards already do and could improve training, support services, pay equity, and access to benefits such as retirement and trauma resources. Members asked about what legal or administrative changes would follow, and the discussion suggested the resolutions were a first step toward broader recognition and related policy changes. The committee then took up SCR 25 and SR 22, opposing federal condemnation or threats of condemnation to take control of Pohakuloa and other state land. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the resolutions, saying Pohakuloa has deep historical, cultural, genealogical, and ecological significance and that any future decisions should go through existing state legal processes with meaningful consultation with Native Hawaiians. Members discussed the role of the governor’s advisory process, the need to follow DLNR/BLNR procedures, and concerns about environmental and health violations at the site. The committee also noted 14 written testimonies in support. Next, the committee heard SCR 79 and SR 81, urging the U.S. Navy to take responsibility for eradicating octocoral and other invasive species in Pearl Harbor waters, including West, Middle, and East Loch. DLNR supported the resolutions, and testimony focused on the spread of invasive coral, the difficulty of eradication, and the limited access state agencies have inside Pearl Harbor. Members raised concerns about contamination, responsibility for the problem, and whether the Navy should fund or carry out the cleanup; DLNR said it could not speak to broader contamination issues but supported the resolution as a way to encourage action. The committee then began discussion of SCR 179 and SR 174, which urge Maui County to enforce fire code provisions on brush clearance, fuel breaks, roadside vegetation clearing, and emergency access, with written support noted from Aloha Independent Living Hawaii.

Transcript Highlights:

• I definitely echo the comments to commend the process and the sponsor for allowing us a space to work
• Including parcel configuration, vegetation management, road access, and long-term maintenance.
• And then also going toward additional mandates around defensible space and vegetation management, we
• So we appreciate this bill's attempt to reconcile defensible space with environmental...
• This bill's attempt to reconcile defensible space with environmental values.

Bills: SB5633, SB6279, SB6291, SB6274, SB6309, SB5903, SB6016, SB5820, SB6132, SB6189

Keywords: land subdivision, zoning, property development, local government authority, real estate, infrastructure, wildfire, wildland urban interface, WUI, building code, fire-resistant construction, defensible space, hazard map, risk map, state building code council, department of natural resources, fire marshal, regional fire defense board, roofing standards, exterior walls

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on SB 5633, a major rewrite of subdivision law. Staff described changes that would move many subdivision decisions from legislative bodies to administrative personnel, limit or eliminate public hearings for plats, expand notice to nearby landowners, clarify pre-application conferences, require concurrent review of related permits, and set a 100-day decision timeline for preliminary plats. Supporters from the building industry, Realtors, and some city officials said the bill would streamline an outdated process, reduce delays and costs, and help housing production. County and city representatives, while praising the stakeholder process and some technical improvements, raised concerns about eliminating public hearings, local accountability, and implementation details. The committee also heard testimony on SB 6279, which would incorporate the Wildland Urban Interface code into the state building code after wildfire maps are completed, with local amendment authority and consultation requirements. Fire marshals and some environmental advocates supported the goal but asked for clearer environmental protections, more transparency in mapping, and more local flexibility; builders and county officials opposed or sought changes, warning about costs, timing, and the practicality of applying the code before maps are finalized. The committee then heard SB 6309, which would streamline permitting for Sound Transit and other regional transit authority projects by allowing permit applications before land acquisition is complete, allowing rail facilities to exceed some local height and setback limits when practicable, and exempting certain land divisions tied to condemnation for essential public facilities. The committee waived the five-day notice rule for the bill, and the sponsor and Sound Transit representatives said the measure would reduce delays and help deliver light rail and bus rapid transit more efficiently while preserving local coordination and cultural resource review. The committee also heard SB 6291, which would extend from two to four years the period during which local health jurisdiction wastewater inspectors may work under supervision before certification; public health officials supported the change as a workforce and training fix, saying the current timeline is too short and costly. Finally, SB 6274 would require comprehensive plans to identify infrastructure barriers, including frontage and street standards that affect infill and middle housing, and to review those standards for consistency with housing and transportation goals. Builders and some planners supported the bill as a way to reduce costly frontage mandates, while city and advocacy witnesses asked for clearer definitions and cautioned about impacts on safety, accessibility, and local street design.

Bills: SB 32, SB 464, SB 996, SB 1163, SB 1173, SB 1277, SB 1452, SB 1453, SB 1548, SB 1882, SB 1883, SB 2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, fireworks, retail sales, regulation, public safety, holidays, municipal management, continuation elections, districts, debt management, voter approval, charter amendment, home-rule municipality, local government, petition requirements

Bills: SB 32, SB 464, SB 996, SB 1163, SB 1173, SB 1277, SB 1452, SB 1453, SB 1548, SB 1882, SB 1883, SB 2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, fireworks, retail sales, regulation, public safety, holidays, municipal management, continuation elections, districts, debt management, voter approval, charter amendment, home-rule municipality, local government, petition requirements

Bills: SB 32, SB 464, SB 996, SB 1163, SB 1173, SB 1277, SB 1452, SB 1453, SB 1548, SB 1882, SB 1883, SB 2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, fireworks, retail sales, regulation, public safety, holidays, municipal management, continuation elections, districts, debt management, voter approval, charter amendment, home-rule municipality, local government, petition requirements

Bills: SB 32, SB 464, SB 996, SB 1163, SB 1173, SB 1277, SB 1452, SB 1453, SB 1548, SB 1882, SB 1883, SB 2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, fireworks, retail sales, regulation, public safety, holidays, municipal management, continuation elections, districts, debt management, voter approval, charter amendment, home-rule municipality, local government, petition requirements

Bills: SB 32, SB 464, SB 996, SB 1163, SB 1173, SB 1277, SB 1452, SB 1453, SB 1548, SB 1882, SB 1883, SB 2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, fireworks, retail sales, regulation, public safety, holidays, municipal management, continuation elections, districts, debt management, voter approval, charter amendment, home-rule municipality, local government, petition requirements

Bills: SB154, SB362, SB544, SB714

Keywords: conservation, water management, Colorado River, environment, sustainability, mining, federal minerals, Bull Mountains, Montana, coal, land management, environmental impact, mining regulation, hardrock mining, land use, environmental protection, Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, critical minerals, energy regulation, material designation

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to know, you know, we can't manage what we don't measure.
• Water management in Texas is critical, 301 Water management in Texas is critical, not just for urban
• If you don't know what the numbers are, you can't manage it.
• And so who do you really have managing the district?
• And so who 351 do you really have managing the district?

Bills: HB24, HB27

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Summary: The committee met to hear House Bills 27 and 24 on groundwater issues in East Texas, with members and witnesses focusing on a proposed large-volume groundwater export project and the need for more science before major permitting decisions are made. HB 27, which was within the special session call, would direct the Texas Water Development Board to conduct a hydrogeologic study of the aquifers in the affected area and temporarily pause new export permits while the study is underway. HB 24, a separate bill that would limit certain production and export permits to 5% of modeled available groundwater, was laid out but the chair said it would not be moved out of committee. Testimony on HB 27 was largely supportive, though some witnesses were neutral. Supporters, including representatives from a water supply corporation, the Trinity River Authority, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, said the region lacks enough hydrologic data, that the proposed pumping could affect private wells, surface water, and local economies, and that the state needs better information on sustainable yield and groundwater-surface water interaction. Several witnesses emphasized that groundwater conservation districts need clearer tools and better data, while also noting concerns about property rights and the rule of capture. Committee members discussed the scale of the proposed project, the absence of a groundwater conservation district in Houston County, and the possibility that the study should examine desired future conditions and maximum sustainable pumping rather than only modeled available groundwater. The committee adopted the committee substitute for HB 27 and voted it out favorably to the full House with a recommendation that it do pass, be printed, and be sent to the Committee on Calendars. The roll call was unanimous, 11 ayes and 0 nays. After the vote, members briefly reflected on the complexity of the issue and the need to continue working on broader groundwater policy in the interim and next session. HB 24 was discussed later in the meeting, but no final action on that bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• They want to make it, uh, commercial space now, right?
• I also serve as the president of the Campground Association of Management Professionals, which oversees
• We just want to make sure the spacing is right.
• is really centered around what the state needs to do to invest and support proactive groundwater management
• , Chairman Gates, Vice Chairman Lalani, and members of the House Committee on Land and Resource Management

Bills: HB24

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• Resource management will come to order. The clerk will call the roll. Chairman Gates.
• , not general public traffic, right, so it's private.
• To those I'm gonna defer that to our city manager.
• You know, where that this bill would help in that space.
• Hearing none, the chair moves to adjourn the Committee on Land and Resource Management.

Bills: HB24

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, green transportation policies, traffic safety, and rules of the road. Hi, Brian Moore.
• little things that make ferry life easier, such as providing us with resources to have law enforcement manage
• You all have to manage the cash flow of the system and make sure that we can meet all our obligations
• Northwest Seaport Alliance, the partnership between the ports of Tacoma and Seattle for the joint management

Bills: SB6005

Keywords: transportation budget, transportation appropriations, capital budget, supplemental budget, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferries, Puget Sound ferries, tolling, express toll lanes, highway safety, traffic safety, impaired driving, ignition interlock, speed cameras, transit funding, public transit, multimodal transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on January 13, 2026, for a work session on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental transportation budget and a public hearing on Senate Bill 6005, the supplemental transportation appropriations bill. Committee staff reviewed the current transportation budget, recent revenue forecasts, and the impact of the 2025 session’s new revenues and spending plan. They noted that fuel-tax-related forecasts were revised downward, while Climate Commitment Act revenues were revised upward in the near term but are expected to decline over time. The governor’s proposal was described as balancing over the six-year horizon and adding about $3.1 billion in bond-backed resources, including major preservation funding, three new ferries, maintenance, and support for other transportation accounts and agencies. Governor’s staff said the budget prioritizes preservation because of bridge deterioration, pavement needs, ferry fleet aging, and maintenance backlogs. They highlighted funding for bridge replacement and rehabilitation, paving, slope stabilization, culverts, maintenance, ferry vessel purchases and preservation, county road grant startup costs, State Patrol communications equipment, Department of Licensing mobile services and call center modernization, Columbia River dredging, bridge-strike analysis, and restoration of regional mobility grants. Committee members asked about electric vehicle adoption effects on fuel revenues, the self-insurance account, ferry vessel size and dock compatibility, and whether DOL mobile offices would be limited to rural areas. Public testimony was largely supportive of the governor’s budget emphasis on preservation and maintenance. Cities, counties, contractors, business groups, ports, ferry users, and labor representatives backed investments in roads, bridges, ferries, dredging, and local access services, while urging more funding and better support for workers and equipment. Some witnesses argued the system is underfunded and fragile, while one testifier urged restraint and questioned the reliability of dedicated revenues. Other testimony called for continued support for COFA REAL ID assistance, Confluence Parkway in Wenatchee, and greater use of Climate Commitment Act funds for rail and port electrification. No votes were taken; the hearing on SB 6005 concluded and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Community co-management residents.
• They asked how it would apply in a game management unit, or in the forest, or in parks.
• </c><00:31:43.440><c> in</c> think that have particular management in think that have particular management
• Katie Roth with the Commission on Water Resource Management.
• </c> the traditional land use management the traditional land use management expert,<01:01:18.559><c>

Bills: HB1881, HB2218, HB1956, HB2151, HB1845, HB1844, HB2103, HB2424, HB1650, HB376, HB2599, HB1861

Keywords: land use, ropeway, transportation, state regulation, government exemption, DLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, public lands, public trust resources, community co-management, co-management agreement, community-based organization, Native Hawaiian, malama aina, ahupuaa, subsistence, cultural resources, religious practices

Summary: The committee on Water and Land met on February 10, 2026, with Chair Mark Hashem outlining strict testimony rules and noting a time constraint because of later hearings and floor session obligations. The committee then took up several bills, hearing mostly supportive testimony on HB 1881 relating to land use, HB 2218 relating to DLNR/community management, and HB 1956 relating to freshwater waves, while HB 1845 relating to the Land Use Commission drew legal concerns and opposition. HB 2151 relating to building materials had no substantive testimony presented in the excerpt, and the committee moved through it quickly. On HB 1881, testimony focused on protecting North Shore lands from overdevelopment. A supporter described the area as valuable precisely because it remains largely undeveloped, and a member asked whether the bill’s restrictions on “finculars” would affect existing or future private residential installations; the response suggested the bill was aimed at future commercial uses and that grandfathering or personal-use exceptions might be possible, but the exact wording would need legal refinement. HB 2218 received broad support from OHA, DLNR, Kua, Sierra Club, Hui Maka Aana, the Honlay Initiative, and others, who said the measure would expand community-based co-management across DLNR divisions, build on existing park partnerships, and produce real benefits such as better stewardship, safer access, local jobs, and stronger community trust. Members asked about the bill’s five-year review structure, how multiple community groups would be handled, and whether the model could apply to ocean or nearshore areas; DLNR said the board would retain authority, agreements would be non-exclusive and subject to review, and the department was still working through how the approach would function across different divisions and marine settings. For HB 1956, the Attorney General offered technical comments, urging clearer definitions of “residing” and “freshwater way,” clearer timing for citations and arrests, and more explicit procedural safeguards and agency roles. On HB 1845, the Attorney General and Land Use Commission raised concerns that the bill could conflict with constitutional protections for important agricultural lands and could not be reconciled with existing voting requirements; the LUC also said commissioners cannot vote by proxy under sunshine law and warned that the bill could allow too few commissioners to approve major boundary changes. Members questioned how the bill would work in counties without designated important agricultural lands, and the LUC explained that Kauai is the only county to have completed the IAL process, while the broader statutory process remains county-driven and has been the subject of litigation. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• these other pressures that... ...we have on Texas from these other big issues: big infrastructure, managing

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee met to consider HB 2, the major school finance bill, with the chair explaining that the committee substitute would provide about $8 billion in new public education funding. The bill was described as including permanent teacher compensation increases, expanded teacher incentive allotment funding, support for early literacy and numeracy, teacher certification and residency pathways, special education funding, career and technical education, school safety dollars, and facilities support for charter schools. The committee adopted the committee substitute without objection after roll was called and a quorum was present. Members questioned the bill’s structure, especially the balance between across-the-board teacher pay and the teacher incentive allotment, the treatment of uncertified teachers, and differences in requirements between traditional public schools and charter schools. Senator Menendez and Senator West raised concerns about equity, charter-school parity, facilities funding, inflation, and whether the bill should include more support for fine arts and extracurricular programs. The chair responded that the bill was designed to direct most new money to traditional public schools while also preserving flexibility and that charter-school and public-school alignment would need further work. Invited witnesses Dr. Imelda De La Rosa and Val Acri testified in support of the bill, emphasizing that the Teacher Incentive Allotment helps recruit and retain teachers in rural districts and supports mentorship and certification pathways. Public witnesses also supported the bill but urged more funding for fine arts, local flexibility, and full restoration of House-proposed funding levels. Dr. Josh Jones supported year-long teacher residencies, Dr. Philip Morgan asked for more local control and restoration of fine arts funding, Rich Saina supported the bill but warned about hold-harmless reductions, and Dr. Greg Poole supported the bill while asking for flexibility for high-performing districts that already pay high salaries. After the invited testimony and some public testimony, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair so members could attend the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• They need to build out new classroom space to add students and new grade levels for their innovative
• And so usually this is if they have space available, they're able to offer these seats to community members
• maintenance director, transportation director, custodian director, as best as designated person, pest management
• I'm the policy manager for Teach Plus Texas.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The committee continued public testimony on House Bill 2, which would make major changes to public school funding, teacher pay, special education, early learning, school safety, and related programs. Many superintendents and education advocates supported the bill’s overall direction but urged changes, especially a larger basic allotment and more flexible funding for rural and small districts. Witnesses from Paint Creek, West Hardin, Cushing, Blooming Grove, Mildred, Buffalo, Plano, and rural school groups said the bill’s targeted raises and new requirements would not fully cover inflation, TRS/Medicare costs, transportation, insurance, or support staff salaries, and several asked the committee to restore the House version’s higher basic allotment and small-school allotment. Charter school representatives supported the facilities funding changes and said charter schools need state help because they cannot levy taxes, while also noting the funding gap with ISDs. Fine arts advocates asked the committee to restore the fine arts allotment, arguing arts improve engagement, attendance, and academic outcomes, especially in rural and at-risk communities. Early learning and special education witnesses supported parts of the bill but raised concerns about pre-K restrictions, disability-related pre-K access, and the need to preserve or clarify special education provisions and mental health oversight language. Several witnesses praised the teacher pay raise, teacher incentive allotment expansion, and teacher preparation investments, saying they would help recruit and retain educators and improve student outcomes. Others, including counselors and support staff advocates, argued the bill should also include raises for counselors, nurses, librarians, bus drivers, custodians, aides, and other non-teaching employees who keep schools running. One witness from the Texas Counseling Association opposed the substitute because it removed a counselor pay provision, warning of counselor shortages and inequities. A parent and special education advocate said the bill’s structure creates too many strings attached and asked for a larger basic allotment instead of more targeted funding. Another witness from Mental Health America urged keeping the collaborative task force on public school mental health services through 2031, and a disability rights advocate said the committee substitute appears to omit some special education items that were in the House version. The committee also briefly took up House Bill 6, a school discipline bill. After questions about automatic mandatory expulsion for vape possession and concerns about younger students, the committee adopted the substitute and voted to report HB 6 favorably to the full Senate by a 9-1 vote, with Senator Menendez voting no and Senators West and Menendez expressing reservations but supporting further discussion. After that vote, testimony on HB 2 resumed. Senators used the hearing to ask about the bill’s cost, the difference between the basic allotment and the bill’s targeted funding buckets, and whether the permanent teacher pay increase shifts pressure off districts. The bill’s supporters emphasized that it represents an historic, roughly $8 billion investment and that many of the new funding streams are intended to be permanent or to address specific district needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• OK, there's just a lot of space between 600,000 in those little villages you're describing.
• bill also exempts this added requirement for smaller jurisdictions, which may lack the capacity to manage
• Yes, hi, my name is Whitney Parra, and I'm the policy manager at the Texas Affiliation of Affordable

Bills: HB164

Keywords: HB 164, HB164, Texas Flood Recovery, Reimbursement, and Reconstruction Program, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, Hill Country floods, July 2025 floods, flood recovery, disaster relief, flood reimbursement, reconstruction grants, resiliency standards, floodplain, base flood elevation, FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, insurance denial, property damage, tenant assistance, rental property

Bills: SF0025, SF0027, SF0043, SF0066

Keywords: landowner licenses, hunting, wildlife management, quota hunt areas, game and fish commission, game management, hunting regulations, black bear, tracking dogs, wildlife conservation, conservation, contracting, supervisor, funding, districts, hunting licenses, donated licenses, life-threatening illness, vision impairment, nonprofit organizations

Transcript Highlights:

• The Animal Damage Management Board is a perfect example.
• Obviously, that would be the example at the Animal Damage Management Board, but we also offer similar
• Obviously, that would be the example at the Animal Damage Management Board, but we also offer similar
• And then also to cover associated administrative expenses for the management of that committee.
• And then also to cover associated administrative expenses for the management of that committee.

Bills: SF0025, SF0027, SF0043, SF0066

Keywords: landowner licenses, hunting, wildlife management, quota hunt areas, game and fish commission, game management, hunting regulations, black bear, tracking dogs, wildlife conservation, conservation, contracting, supervisor, funding, districts, hunting licenses, donated licenses, life-threatening illness, vision impairment, nonprofit organizations