Transcript Highlights:

• Undermine the very foundations on which this nation and its governance has been built.
• On January 6th, rioters stormed the heart of American government and sought to overthrow the will of
• On January 6th, rioters stormed the heart of American government and sought to overthrow the will of
• ,</c><01:33:07.760><c> and</c><01:33:08.080><c> chaos</c> grievance over governance, and chaos grievance
• over governance, and chaos over<01:33:09.040><c> accountability.

Bills: HR780 , HR976 , HR975 , HR974

Keywords: gridlock, policy priorities, House resolution, legislative process, procedural motion, house meeting hours, legislative schedule, government procedure, House of Representatives, quorum, business proceeding, legislative procedure, government functionality, Congress, notification, Presidential communication

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> government in 2020 the US government government in 2020 the US government bought<00:22:32.240><c
• </c><02:20:58.319><c> and</c> an inefficiency in the government and an inefficiency in the government
• </c><02:50:38.239><c> housing</c> his government housing his government housing $50,000<02:50:41.200>
• </c><02:50:43.880><c> housing</c> his government housing his government housing $50,000<02:50:47.319>
• government government accountable<03:06:36.239><c> this</c><03:06:36.439><c> bill</c><03:06:36.760><

Bills: HR125 , HCR11 , HR122

Keywords: committee membership, House of Representatives, government structure, ethics, political appointments, concurrent resolution, President communication, Congress assembly, meeting date, government procedure, joint session, Congress, President's address, H.Res. 122, HR122, H.R. 77, midnight rules, Congressional Review Act, CRA, resolution of disapproval

Transcript Highlights:

• My entire practice is about suing government officials who violate rights.
• It's the procedurally most clear that you can also pierce immunity there.
• procedural steps.
• I deal with literally a lot of government abuse.
• The commission was added initially to the government code, which governs attorney licensure and conduct

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:

• Your efforts to fully fund our judiciary, the third branch of government, are greatly appreciated by
• so they can figure out how they're going to protect their trade secrets and how they're going to govern
• And so by having judges... ...they're going to govern the exchange of confidential information in their
• 1761 in part adds, quote, persistent or willful violations of Article 1715 code of the criminal procedure
• I'm hearing there might be a strict enforcement and a really important procedural vote right upon us

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:

• However, the Code of Criminal Procedure does not currently address this issue. require the trial court
• I think it may be necessary to be said that criminal justice, criminal procedure, and criminal cases
• And I'm going to go back and I will say this forever: this country was founded because the government
• We have 50... different commissioners, multidisciplinary, who bring problems and procedures that they
• So we hope that these procedural changes add clarity where there are gaps in the statutes and improve

Bills: HB 115 , HB507 , HB1765 , HB1847 , HB2046 , HB2239 , HB2328 , HB2309 , HB2417 , HB2728 , HB2794 , HB3206 , HB3566 , HB3694 , HB3744 , HB4254 , HB4697 , HB4733 , HB4915 , HB5465 , HB2813 , HB115

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: habeas corpus, postconviction, criminal procedure, indigent defense, scientific evidence, legal representation, judicial power, capital felony, criminal law, death penalty, attorney qualification, training standards, law enforcement, no-knock warrant, search warrant, peace officer, attorney workload, criminal justice, caseload limits, fair representation

Transcript Highlights:

• attorneys to pursue forfeiture when their own officer sees qualifying contraband, giving local governments
• In 2013, the Texas Legislature enacted Article 11.073 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, commonly referred
• Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence examined whether the junk science law and criminal appellate procedure
• This creates opacity for this governing body.
• Fourth and finally, HB 115 eases procedural bars that prevent courts from considering the merits of these

Bills: HB115 , HB 115 , HB507 , HB1765 , HB1847 , HB2046 , HB2239 , HB2328 , HB2309 , HB2417 , HB2728 , HB2794 , HB3206 , HB3566 , HB3694 , HB3744 , HB4254 , HB4697 , HB4733 , HB4915 , HB5465 , HB2813

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: public funds, lobbying, political subdivision, government spending, transparency, HB 115, taxpayer-funded lobbying, local government lobbying, county association dues, municipal lobbying, lobbyist registration, Chapter 305, Government Code Section 556.0056, Local Government Code Section 89.002, county government, city government, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, state association of counties, sheriffs association

Summary: The Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence reconvened with a quorum present and announced it would likely not vote that night because of confusion over the bill list; members were told a definitive list would be circulated the next morning and a formal meeting would be scheduled later. The chair then heard a series of bills, generally taking testimony and leaving each pending without action. House Bill 1847 would set maximum caseload standards for private attorneys handling indigent criminal appointments through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission; House Bill 2417 would expand compensation eligibility for some wrongfully imprisoned people; House Bill 2813 would require earlier and more specific victim notice of scheduled court proceedings; and House Bill 2309 would expand state and local authority in certain civil asset forfeiture cases involving human trafficking, health care fraud, and organized crime. Each bill was laid out by its author or a member, with no opposition witnesses registered, and each was left pending. The committee also heard House Bill 4733, which would require sealing records for people acquitted of charges when they were not convicted on the related allegation; House Bill 2328, which would modernize expunction service by encouraging electronic notice, setting a standardized fee when electronic service is unavailable, extending clerk retention of expunction orders, and preserving certain mental health commitment orders; and House Bill 115, which would revise Texas’s “junk science” post-conviction writ law by providing counsel, changing the relief standard, requiring written decisions, and easing procedural barriers. Testimony on HB 2328 was mixed: county clerks supported the bill as a cost-saving modernization, while legal advocates warned that permanent retention of expunction orders could undermine true expunction and create privacy risks. HB 115 drew support from innocence and defense organizations, with some concern about a provision affecting subsequent writs. All were left pending after testimony. Later, the committee heard House Bill 2046, which would allow affirmative family-violence findings for any Penal Code offense rather than only Title V offenses; testimony from a Dallas County prosecutor and a committee member emphasized that family violence can involve arson, burglary, fraud, and other non-Title V conduct, and the bill was left pending. House Bill 1765 would tighten restrictions on no-knock warrants by requiring higher-level approval, judicial review, and identifiable officers; members discussed the dangers highlighted by the Harding Street raid and similar incidents, and the bill was also left pending. The meeting ended with the chair noting that some bills had been removed from the agenda at the author’s request and that members should be prepared to finalize the vote list the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, we're changing the code of criminal procedure that has evidentiary effect or.
• The procedural requirements of Rule 412...
• However, there is language in the Government Code in Chapter 56.
• Procedure.
• So those three exceptions are already in, as I say, in the Government Code.

Bills: SB535 , SB664 , SB1019 , SB1020 , SB1120 , SB1537 , SB1804 , HB3207

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: SB 535, Texas criminal procedure, rape shield, victim sexual history, past sexual behavior, sexual assault evidence, trafficking of persons, continuous trafficking, indecency with a child, continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault, indecent assault, consent defense, in camera hearing, Rule 412, Rule 609, victim protection, evidence admissibility, criminal evidence, sexual offense prosecution

Transcript Highlights:

• It was an attack on our system of government. these heinous acts.
• That's a procedure used to kill these children at about 12 to 15 weeks.
• </c> they do from the abortion procedure they do from the abortion procedure particularly<05:54:36.958
• </c> this grand experiment in self-governance this grand experiment in self-governance believed.<06:00
• </c><06:21:58.160><c> to</c> uh and others within our government to uh and others within our government

Bills: HR519 , HR538 , HR530 , HR537

Keywords: Minnesota lawmakers, political violence, domestic terrorism, assassination attempt, state legislators, Melissa Hortman, John Hoffman, Yvette Hoffman, Mark Hortman, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, public safety, law enforcement response, civil discourse, democracy, gun violence, elected officials, House resolution, condemnation, bipartisan unity

Transcript Highlights:

• Unlike the government code, the Code of Criminal Procedure does not require interpreters to be licensed
• By contrast, The government code requires courts to appoint licensed court interpreters in both civil
• Generally then, Senate Bill 1537 would clean up the language of the Code of Criminal Procedure. by first
• , and second, explicitly referencing the interpreter appointment requirements in the Government Code.
• You are trained by your departments, by your academies, your policies and procedures. procedures allow

Bills: SB693 , SB781 , SB836 , SB860 , SB906 , SB993 , SB1101 , SB1321 , SB1370 , SB1537 , SB1563 , SB1610 , SB1637

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice bills focused on victim protections, law enforcement tools, notary/deed fraud, sexually violent predators, veterans in jail, tribal policing authority, and peace officer records. Several bills were laid out, heard, and left pending because the committee lacked a quorum for final action on those items. Testimony was generally supportive on bills addressing interpreter appointments, fuel theft investigations, deed fraud, survivor privacy, veteran jailer training, tribal peace officer authority, and officer-record confidentiality, though some bills drew concerns about due process, scope, or drafting. Senate Bill 1537 would clean up criminal procedure language on appointing interpreters and align it with Government Code standards requiring licensed or certified interpreters; it received no public opposition and was left pending. Senate Bill 993 would let Comptroller Criminal Investigative Division officers directly seek warrants for mobile tracking devices in fuel-theft and tax-fraud investigations; it also drew support and was left pending. Senate Bill 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notarizing documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add notary continuing education; a Dallas County prosecutor testified that notary fraud is a major driver of deed theft, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1610, as substituted, would address safety, registration, and criminal penalties at the Texas Civil Commitment Office for sexually violent predators, including assaults on staff and sex-offender registration issues; agency witnesses described increased assaults and operational problems, while a public witness urged waiting for Sunset review and raised due-process concerns. Senate Bill 836 would add privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of trials, expanding pseudonym use, and protecting forensic exam and invasive-recording evidence; survivors and advocates strongly supported it, and defense lawyers said they had no opposition to the substitute. Senate Bill 1563 would require county jailer training on interacting with veterans, with testimony from the Texas Veterans Commission and veterans’ advocates emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 906, which would authorize the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribal police to be commissioned as Texas peace officers like two other federally recognized tribes in Texas; tribal leaders said the change would improve response times and coordination, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 781, as substituted, would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officer personnel and departmental files statewide, mirroring Chapter 143 civil-service practices; law enforcement witnesses supported it as a way to protect personal information and create uniform records practices, but several senators raised concerns that the bill could blur existing disclosure rules or bury misconduct complaints, and public testimony included an opposition witness describing a police shooting involving her brother.

Transcript Highlights:

• For years, Democrats have governed by slogan instead of substance.
• FOR YEARS, DEMOCRATS HAVE GOVERNED BY SLOGAN INSTEAD OF SUBSTANCE.
• It all exploded on their watch when they ran three houses of government.
• IT ALL EXPLODED ON THEIR WATCH WHEN THEY RAN THREE HOUSES OF GOVERNMENT.
• BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, THE INSTITUTION THAT THE FRAMERS DECIDED SHOULD BE THE PART OF GOVERNMENT THAT'S

Bills: HCR74 , HJR72 , HR1042 , HR1048

Keywords: joint session, Congress, communication, President, HCR74, national emergency, government authority, Executive Order, legislative action, rule, special rule, House resolution, floor procedure, procedural resolution, firearms, gun laws, less-than-lethal weapons, weapons technology, National Marine Sanctuaries Act, undersea fiber optic cables

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Permanent Standing Subcommittee on County and Regional Government will come to order.
• everybody for being here today as we convene the Permanent Standing Subcommittee on County and Regional Government
• today, under House Rule 4, Section 13, House committees are subject to the same rules of decorum that govern
• In the local government impact, I want to point out that I'll read from the Legislative Budget Board's

Bills: SB1370

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: medical examiner, forensic services, county coroner, autopsy, death investigation, forensic pathology, county government, commissioners court, medical examiners district, regional district, public health, criminal justice, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 49.25, county population threshold, interlocal agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• It outlines the process and some of the procedures.
• As you know, government doesn't always move quickly, but the steps have been taken.
• As you know, government doesn't always move quickly, but the steps have been taken.
• Were those government fees actually causing people to pay more?
• It wasn't when it comes to the housing affordability to allow these high government fees.

Bills: HB5489 , HB5695 , HB5699 , SB291 , SB292

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: impact fee, moratorium, local government, Texas legislation, infrastructure funding, municipal utility district, eminent domain, bonds, assessments, infrastructure, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Harris County, Municipal Utility District, territory exclusion, debt service taxes, property taxation, condemnation, property acquisition, real property, appraisal reports

Transcript Highlights:

• You are in the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure. Ms. Gerizano, please call the roll.
• authority, because governing authority includes municipality or parish in this proposed law.
• Tammany Parish government for 11 years.
• Article 1426, we just added to the Code of Civil Procedure a motion to quash.
• People used a motion to quash all the time, but it was never in the Code of Civil Procedure.

Bills: HB135 , HB142 , HB170 , HB194 , HB215 , HB216 , HB226 , HB284 , HB292 , HB297 , HB609

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: exemption, motor vehicles, health savings accounts, debt relief, bankruptcy, civil procedure, abandonment, default judgment, court costs, notice requirements, construction contracts, jurisdiction, dispute resolution, public policy, Louisiana law, professional engineer, peremptive periods, construction, architect, real estate developer

Transcript Highlights:

• Quorum that govern the House proceedings.
• This is good government.
• And so when they commit crimes, especially violent crimes, it's incumbent upon government officials at
• I think we should seriously consider sending that bill to the federal government and not only asking
• A job of the state government and its public. And I feel about, so not to confuse those two issues.

Bills: HB153 , HB1410 , HB1461 , HB1760 , HB1762 , HB3261 , HB3773 , HB153

Committee: House Corrections

Keywords: education, funding, student resources, technology access, equal opportunity, veterans treatment court, mental health, criminal justice, rehabilitation, eligibility criteria, veterans, treatment court, military service, legislation, private prisons, inmate confinement, criminal justice reform, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, government contracts, inmate housing

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill addresses drugs provided to and procedures performed on a minor.
• It improves procedures for document filings with the Secretary of State and updates merger, exchange,
• and conversion procedures.
• Namely, the Administrative Code Chapter 87, the Government Code Chapter 406, and the Civil Practices
• Scams take many forms, with individuals pretending to be government agencies, employers, or heads of

Bills: HB5621 , HB4904 , HB5067 , HB5076 , HB5081 , HB5354 , HB4862 , HB3847 , HB4088 , HB4157 , HB2966 , HB2287 , HB4203 , HB4803 , HB4737 , HB5093 , HB783 , HB5411 , HB4281

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: HB 5621, consumer protection, Deceptive Trade Practices Act, DTPA, Business & Commerce Code, attorney general, consumer protection division, district attorney, county attorney, local prosecutor, civil investigative demand, CID, voluntary compliance, financial institution records, bank records, privacy, protective order, in camera review, trade secrets, insurer

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> capabilities of the federal government capabilities of the federal government are<00:12:55.160><
• </c><02:10:11.880><c> sponsored</c> the systematic government sponsored the systematic government sponsored
• </c> government when the federal government government when the federal government is<02:37:12.880><c
• </c><05:16:51.600><c> to</c> full force of the government to full force of the government to intimidate
• </c> clearly not the way he's going to govern clearly not the way he's going to govern who<07:35:12.398

Bills: SB5 , HR165 , HR53 , HR55 , HR54

Keywords: immigration, detention, theft, security, enforcement, Laken Riley Act, deportation, mandatory detention, ICE detainer, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, noncitizen, alien, inadmissibility, burglary, larceny, shoplifting, assault on law enforcement, serious bodily injury, parole

Transcript Highlights:

• ideally they establish a new government ideally that<00:10:12.880><c> government</c><00:10:13.200><c
• </c><00:49:43.559><c> is</c> and ensure that the government is and ensure that the government is working
• </c> requires a report from the government requires a report from the government accountability<00:51
• 00:45.760><c> has</c> to be this intrusive your government has to be this intrusive your government has
• <c> the</c><03:15:39.800><c> government</c><03:15:40.319><c> have</c> business does the government have

Bills: HR28 , HR153 , HR40 , HR39 , HR38

Keywords: remote testimony, committee proceedings, witness participation, Congress, transparency, condolences, aviation safety, transportation disaster, victims support, first responders, committee elections, House of Representatives, legislative process, congressional committees, membership, House resolution, committee assignments, standing committees, 119th Congress, Armed Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think there's a lot of, when you... ...government that pays for rev share.
• So I feel like we're still giving some governance and some oversight.
• It is, in my estimation, a good government and a transparency bill.
• It's simply a good government request. Okay, thank you for that. We have one question.
• Welcome to House and Government Affairs, Representative Zerang. I've been here before.

Bills: HB55 , HB608 , HB997 , HB1035 , HB1045 , HB1048 , HB1049 , HB1057 , HB1131 , HB1177 , HB1201

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Keywords: juror confidentiality, public records, criminal procedure, privacy, court disclosure, official journal, public notices, government transparency, local government, municipal website, school board notices, parish council, police jury, special districts, levee district, drainage district, road district, navigation district, sewerage district, newspaper publication

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:04.639><c> for</c> Friday by the Australian government for Friday by the Australian government
• </c> and others over the special government and others over the special government employee<00:12:34.839
• </c> that the vast majority of government that the vast majority of government employees<00:12:51.519
• </c> government the United States government government the United States government knew<00:29:07.399
• more effective government.

Bills: HR736 , HR692 , HR965 , HR975 , HR386 , HR224

Keywords: diaper need, infant health, family well-being, basic needs, public health, childcare, September 11, terrorist attacks, education, curriculum, first responders, national security, temporary protected status, Haiti, immigration, refugees, quorum, House of Representatives, business proceeding, legislative procedure

Bills: HB2650 , HB3277 , HB3386 , HB3419 , HB3430 , HB3742 , HB3791 , HB3835 , HB3905 , HB3968 , HB4119 , HB4153 , HB4408

Committee: House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight

Keywords: probate, estate administration, summary administration, decedent, inheritance, vehicle inspection, title registration, salvage vehicles, ownership, Oklahoma Statutes, evictions, forcible entry, mediation, residency proof, children, housing law, corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law