Bills: SSB3011 , SSB3174 , SF2197

Committee: Joint Technology

Keywords: chatbot regulation, transparent communication, civil penalties, user safety, legal compliance, internet accessibility, litigation, abusive litigation, Attorney General, Americans with Disabilities Act, civil action, public accommodation, app store, app developer, minor users, children online safety, parental consent, age verification, age rating, content rating

Bills: SSB3088 , SF586 , SF54 , SF2157 , SSB3115 , SSB3156 , SSB3167 , SSB3161 , SSB3147 , SSB3155 , SF2161 , SF2263 , SF2257 , SSB3165

Committee: Joint Judiciary

Keywords: DNA collection, DNA profiling, DNA database, DNA data bank, criminal investigation, arrest DNA, felony arrest, aggravated misdemeanor, expungement, DNA expungement, cold cases, cold case funding, Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, public safety, forensic genetics, criminal justice reform, law enforcement, suspect identification, Iowa Code chapter 81

Transcript Highlights:

• Without proactive of a judicial review process, such litigants can continue abusing the system at the
• abusive litigation, reduce unnecessary legal costs, and maintain judicial authority.
• A vexatious litigant is still allowed to file new litigation, they just have to get a approval from a
• A plaintiff repeatedly litigates or attempts to re-litigate. Prose.
• The vexatious litigant because the vexatious litigant statute.

Bills: HB 1181 , HB3704 , HB1363 , HB1610 , HB1615 , HB1620 , HB3223 , HB1317 , HB2884 , HB2176 , HB4027 , HB1664 , HB933 , HB2613 , HB3353 , HB2086 , HB4101 , HB3441 , HB4145 , HB3455

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Transcript Highlights:

• This, I think, would deter litigation that otherwise... in the context of, um...
• where they may end up in litigation.
• What is all of that and your historical litigation...?
• Legal abuse is when an abuser files lawsuits designed to drag the victim into court.
• About domestic violence, what an abuser often wants is more access to the victim.

Bills: HB 1181 , HB3704 , HB1363 , HB1610 , HB1615 , HB1620 , HB3223 , HB1317 , HB2884 , HB2176 , HB4027 , HB1664 , HB933 , HB2613 , HB3353 , HB2086 , HB4101 , HB3441 , HB4145 , HB3455

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Bills: HB389 , HB469 , HB1510 , HB1573 , HB1705 , HB1858 , HB1875 , HB1946 , HB1961 , HB1962 , HB2001 , HB2093 , HB2096 , HB2097

Keywords: HB389, uncrewed aircraft, drone, drones, UAS, unmanned aerial vehicle, misuse of uncrewed aircraft, criminal offense, felony enhancement, drone crime, public safety, police, deputy sheriff, fire department, intoxicated operation, registration number tampering, property damage, bodily injury, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package, Hawaii Revised Statutes

Transcript Highlights:

• Shaken baby syndrome is now called abusive head trauma, and it is brain damage from baby shaking.
• One is a person who represents an organization that provides services to victims of sexual abuse.
• And one is a licensed social worker with expertise in child abuse and neglect.
• One is a licensed social worker with expertise in child abuse and neglect.
• It depends on the level of abuse.

Bills: HB97 , HB280 , HB183 , HB151 , HB202

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: Shaken Baby Syndrome, abusive head trauma, child safety, training and education, healthcare funding, youth internships, workforce development, education, grant funding, employment, drinking water, water quality, environment, public health, water filtration, private well testing, federal funding, childhood sexual abuse, time limitations, civil actions

Transcript Highlights:

• Includes addressing potential fraud and abuse, and makes SNAP supplemental support for disabled and elderly
• the counsel to make sure that that money's being spent correctly, that there's no fraud, waste, and abuse
• If those happen and we find any fraud any abuse, any waste, we'll hand those over to the Attorney General

Bills: HB97 , HB280 , HB183 , HB151 , HB202

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: Shaken Baby Syndrome, abusive head trauma, child safety, training and education, healthcare funding, youth internships, workforce development, education, grant funding, employment, drinking water, water quality, environment, public health, water filtration, private well testing, federal funding, childhood sexual abuse, time limitations, civil actions

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and Representative Griss, this is a nice, clean million dollars into the litigation fund.
• And Representative Gress, this is a nice, clean million dollars into the litigation fund.
• Prest's question, one is for the Colorado River litigation and one is a protection fund, and that's for
• other protective resources that are outside of the litigation.
• fund created last year solely for litigation in federal court if it gets to that level.

Bills: HB2053 , HB2116 , HB2148

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation, A.R.S. 45-119, natural resources, water policy, river management

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2116 appropriates $1 million in the State Journal Fund for FY 27 to the Colorado River litigation
• We hope we don't have to litigate, but this million dollars would be added to the litigation fund if
• And so it... ...to the litigation fund if we need it, and so it—we may need it.
• So if, hopefully, if we don't have to litigate and we continue to negotiate.
• Just last week, I guess Wyoming allocated $5 million in their budget for litigation.

Bills: HB2003 , HB2063 , HB2111 , HB2116 , HB2210 , HCM2007

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Keywords: driver education, instruction permit, underage drivers, motorcycle licenses, traffic regulations, corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, driver license, examinations, motorcycle awareness, traffic laws, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation

Transcript Highlights:

• Families shouldn't be forced into expensive, avoidable litigation.
• something that could spare parents the expense of having to go to a judge, something that will not be litigated
• I, along with Chairman Miller, attended each meeting and provided input. not litigated or something that
• And then it would be up to the judge, kind of, if it were litigated. Is that correct?

Bills: HB78 , HB112 , HB190 , HB292 , HB410 , HB427 , HB437

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: jurisdiction, city court, Bogalusa, civil law, court limit, Louisiana, child relocation, custody, mileage measurement, co-parenting, Louisiana law, software, computer programs, standard of care, liability, design, development, manufacture, sale, security deposit

Transcript Highlights:

• It's $1 million from the State General Fund in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund
• However, I was always very hopeful as well that we don't have to go into litigation, but we're preparing
• One million for litigation is far less than what will be needed if we end up in that eventual situation
• This is not a message that we're wanting to go to litigate.
• We already have there for a retainer for a litigation. So the drought hasn't gone away.

Bills: HB2029 , HB2096 , HB2116

Committees: Senate Natural Resources , Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Keywords: water conservation, grants, infrastructure, environmental protection, sustainability, cesspool remediation, cesspool replacement, forgivable principal, forgivable loan, wifa, water infrastructure finance authority, clean water revolving fund, drinking water revolving fund, wastewater infrastructure, on-site wastewater system, septic system, groundwater protection, public health, nonpoint source pollution, county water projects

Transcript Highlights:

• 2116 appropriates $1 million from the State General Fund in fiscal year 27 to the Colorado River Litigation
• If we wind up having to go to litigation, it certainly will cost... ...much more.

Bills: HB2024 , HB2053 , HB2097 , HB2116 , HB2117

Committees: House Natural Resources, Energy & Water , House House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference

Keywords: water infrastructure finance authority, WIFA, water supply development, snowpack augmentation, cloud seeding, water augmentation, water financing, water infrastructure, Arizona water law, water conservation, groundwater recharge, stormwater recharge, reclamation and reuse, water rights, water supply projects, public-private partnership, long-term water augmentation fund, water provider, desalination, drought mitigation

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2255 concerns litigation finance.
• Matt Sterling, staff to the committee, explained that House Bill 2255 concerns litigation finance.
• reminder, the bill would impose disclosure requirements and prohibit certain acts by third-party litigation
• funders as part of litigation financing agreements.
• The bill would declare violations of third-party litigation financing agreements to be violations of

Bills: HB2255 , HB2354 , HB2595 , HB2320 , HB2597

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: litigation finance, legal funding, lawsuit, financial services, access to justice, common interest communities, homeowners association, property management, housing regulations, community governance, criminal justice, judgment, collateral attack, legal proceedings, sentencing reform, firearm regulation, manufacturing, safety standards, background checks, license requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• This is child abuse. This is sexual abuse and we should call it what it is.
• Most likely, the abuser was abused. And then they pass it on and pass it on. We've got to stop it.
• So these kids sit there and get abused while people watch them be prepared for abuse for years and do
• That ends up becoming an issue of litigation.
• It's really due to the litigation environment.

Bills: HB4011 , HB2680 , HB4325 , HB4327 , HB4944 , HB1761 , HB4688 , HB3453 , HB40 , HB1707 , HB4749 , HB2322 , HB3647 , HB4139 , HB4081 , HB2203 , HB2100 , HB4170 , HB3104 , HB4623 , HB40

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: partition, heirs' property, real estate, co-ownership, family property, non-heir cotenant, right of first refusal, pilot services, liability limitation, maritime commerce, Matagorda Bay, Lavaca Bay, transportation code, maritime industry, civil liability, barratry, penalties, legal actions, damages, wrongful death

Transcript Highlights:

• update the review and the suspension process for when a sworn complaint is filed regarding substance abuse
• But, you know, things come at you from not just the litigants, but also the public who don't understand
• But, you know, things come out you from not just the litigants, but also the public who don't understand
• If I have a litigant who really needs to tell their story, I'm going to give them extra time to do that
• and I get a call that there is a sexually violent predator allegedly posting pictures of himself abusing

Bills: HB4011 , HB2680 , HB4325 , HB4327 , HB4944 , HB1761 , HB4688 , HB3453 , HB40 , HB1707 , HB4749 , HB2322 , HB3647 , HB4139 , HB4081 , HB2203 , HB2100 , HB4170 , HB3104 , HB4623 , HB40

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: partition, heirs' property, real estate, co-ownership, family property, non-heir cotenant, right of first refusal, pilot services, liability limitation, maritime commerce, Matagorda Bay, Lavaca Bay, transportation code, maritime industry, civil liability, barratry, penalties, legal actions, damages, wrongful death

Summary: The Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence met to hear House Bill 1761, a broad judicial package focused on increasing judicial compensation and adding accountability and efficiency measures. The chair explained that HB 1707 and HB 2100 were withdrawn from the agenda, and that HB 1761 would be taken up first because many judges and stakeholders were present. The committee substitute for HB 1761 proposed a 30% increase in base judicial pay to $182,000, changes to judicial retirement linkage, stronger judicial conduct provisions, and efficiency measures such as targeted reporting for judges not meeting benchmarks, appellate in-person meeting encouragement, and time limits on certain motions. The chair and several supporters said judicial pay had reached “emergency status,” citing Texas’s low national ranking and difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified judges. Witnesses in support included presiding and district judges, the State Bar’s judicial section, business and trial lawyer groups, and prosecutors. They emphasized that many judges work long hours off the bench, handle warrants at night and on weekends, manage heavy dockets, and face recruitment problems in both urban and rural counties. Supporters also said higher pay would help attract experienced lawyers, retain judges, and improve court efficiency. Several witnesses and members discussed judicial accountability, including public reporting of court performance and the role of the Texas Supreme Court and presiding judges in setting benchmarks. Some members raised concerns that raw statistics can be misleading because judges also do substantial off-the-bench work and often help cover other courts’ dockets. There was also testimony and discussion about the bill’s conduct and discipline provisions. A representative of the Texas Civil Rights Project opposed parts of the bill that would tie pay raises to changes affecting judicial independence, warning about subjective bail-related discipline standards and possible chilling effects. The executive director of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct cautioned against civil penalties for complainants, saying it could discourage good-faith complaints and create litigation risks. Other witnesses supported accountability reforms but urged caution about unintended consequences, especially for family and emergency cases and for judges handling warrants and other time-sensitive matters. After testimony, the committee withdrew the committee substitute and left HB 1761 pending, then recessed the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I think that there’s times where it’s... ...abuse.
• The insurance premiums won't be Driven by litigation.
• Additionally, this bill risks further abuse of the appraisal process.
• We're going to litigation.
• We're going to litigation.

Bills: HF4881 , HF4867 , HF4422 , HF4223

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, regulation, financial institutions, prescription drug affordability, consumer protection, restitution account, financial compensation, attorney general, distributions, property insurance, homeowners insurance, fire and allied lines, hail insurance, appraisal clause, loss adjustment, alternative dispute resolution, insurance claims, claim valuation, actual cash value

Transcript Highlights:

• or a commercial litigant.
• For commercial litigation funding, a litigation funder generally advances money to plaintiffs in exchange
• influences on the litigation.
• influences on the litigation.
• of litigation funding.

Bills: HB2255 , HB2320 , HB2548

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: litigation finance, legal funding, lawsuit, financial services, access to justice, firearm regulation, manufacturing, safety standards, background checks, license requirements, health care market standards, hospital consolidation, merger review, health care transaction notice, attorney general review, antitrust, provider organizations, hospital systems, contracting affiliation, material change

Transcript Highlights:

• for litigation.
• It is currently a source of waste, abuse, and predatory litigation.
• of waste, abuse, and predatory litigation.<01:29:15.679><c> It's</c><01:29:15.920><c> unpredictably<
• /c> litigation.
• . litigation. litigation.

Bills: HR498 , HR845 , HR1366 , HB4776

Keywords: antisemitism, Jewish safety, civil rights, hate crimes, freedom of expression, political protest, drowsy driving, road safety, public awareness, preventative measures, traffic accidents, NEPA, National Environmental Policy Act, environmental review, permitting reform, permit streamlining, infrastructure, economic development, federal agencies, categorical exclusion

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill will strengthen our safeguards against fraudulent and abusive practices in commercial filings
• It's a pattern of abuse that targets this nation's heroes.
• Leaving an abusive relationship is incredibly dangerous. Since 2020, over...
• But their abusive partner was able to find them and ended their life.
• Find it for sale online to your abusive partner.

Bills: HB 1087 , HB2504 , HB4113 , HB5144 , HB5146 , HB5377 , HB5543 , SB140 , SB264 , SB1244 , SB1343 , SB2121 , HR868

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: property owners, board vacancy, special election, association governance, community management, property owners' association, resale certificate, fees, real estate regulation, homeowners, HB 4113, Texas Rising Star Program, child care, child-care providers, Texas Workforce Commission, TWC, safety barriers, crash-rated bollards, bollards, playground safety

Transcript Highlights:

• This is something I actually encountered in some litigation where...
• that possibly you could use email to serve a non-party to the litigation.
• And the trauma continues long after the abuse and exploitation ends.
• And abuse does occur. I acknowledge that. We see that.
• He has a pecuniary interest in the outcome of that litigation.

Bills: HB79 , HB437 , HB646 , HB1089 , HB1099 , SB173 , SB180 , SB260 , SB424 , SB476

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: expert witness, expert testimony, witness fees, pecuniary interest, conflict of interest, civil procedure, evidence law, Louisiana evidence code, Louisiana civil litigation, expert report, discovery, pretrial disclosure, litigation transparency, settlement, damages award, treating physician, medical expert, forensic expert, civil court, criminal court exception