Video & Transcript Research : 'health and safety regulations'
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TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
89th Legislative Session - Second Called Session Sep 3rd, 2025
Texas House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The following resolutions on first reading and referral. The clerk will read the resolutions.
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Bills:
SB1
TX
Bills:
SB1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- That's the Health and Human.
- health support and services to children.
- Health and safety at different institutions. Which one are you on so we can know?
- for institutions that were in dire need of um renovation of facilities based on health and health and
- Universities that had Health and Human Service, health related issues. OK.
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- these payments were just assigned to TFC and the health and human service community. ...finally turning
- the safety of the state roads and the safety of those roads.
- other funds related to health and human services.
- We have counties with health and hospital districts.
- What is now DWC had the workers' health and safety, so we now have both of those things.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused.
The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action.
Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- it's health and human services or all the different buckets of money, and making sure that they go in
- these payments were just assigned to TFC and the health and human service community.
- other funds related to health and human services.
- We have other special districts, we have counties with health and hospital districts, and we have basically
- What is now DWC had the workers' health and safety, so we now have both of those things.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee first heard the Legislative Budget Board and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on the Secretary of State budget. LBB said the recommendation would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million overall, with major changes including removing federal HAVA funding and one-time business system replacement money, adjusting the agency’s base request, deleting an outdated Interstate Crosscheck rider, and directing HAVA funds to be drawn down first. Secretary Nelson and staff defended the agency’s needs, emphasizing election security, business filings, international protocol, and the Texas Register, and requested additional staff, a new website, digitization of records, IT and cybersecurity upgrades, and renovation of the Rudder Building. Senators discussed voter-roll maintenance, cross-checking data, call-center response times, and the need for online voter registration and more efficient election administration. No votes were taken.
The committee then took up the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB outlined a $2.4 million decrease for the office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs, driven by unexpended balances and the removal of one-time federal and border-security items, while noting continued funding for disaster response, victim assistance, and $2.9 billion for border security at roughly the prior level. Governor’s staff said Texas remains focused on border security, economic development, and public safety, and discussed efforts to seek federal reimbursement for prior border spending. Members asked about the National Guard’s status, possible federal assumption of border costs, the music incubator program, the Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, defense economic adjustment grants, and a new $5 million nonprofit security grant proposal. Staff said the semiconductor program has 12 approved projects totaling about 948 jobs and $17 billion in capital investment, and that the nonprofit security request was added late to address threats to houses of worship and other nonprofits. No formal action was taken.
Finally, the committee heard the Texas Facilities Commission and lease-payment recommendations. LBB said the Facilities Commission recommendation would reduce appropriations by about $2.0 billion, mainly by removing border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, while adding money for higher utility costs, Rudder Building refurbishment, and additional staff. The lease-payment recommendation would decrease general revenue by $9.3 million. LBB also noted new riders related to completing the State Library and Archives building, tenant communication during disruptions, and a space-utilization report. In agency testimony, members asked about border wall maintenance responsibility, total facilities-related debt, and the status of capital complex construction. The Rudder Building renovation and related security needs were repeatedly discussed as important one-time infrastructure investments.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- That big old graph there shows health costs and the increase in health costs over the past several years
- And I'm just saying, you know, and I do health and human services, a lot of work in that area.
- Fortunately, my health is good, and I live simply so I can manage.
- fund and then in our health care.
- public safety to health and human services and education.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken.
The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information.
The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.
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Transcript Highlights:
- safety and effectiveness.
- STAR projects primarily address facility concerns categorized as life, health, and safety issues that
- Importantly, these staffing shortages and significant maintenance needs undermine the health, safety,
- Importantly, the staffing shortages and significant maintenance needs undermine the health, safety, and
- Importantly the staffing shortages and significant maintenance undermine the health, safety and security
Bills:
SB1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools.
Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees.
DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- and mental health programs on your population?
- And correctional managed health care and UTMB had to sit in that seat.
- to meet the mission and ultimately reduce recidivism and improve public safety.
- of safety in the facility and safety in the community.
- of safety in the facility and safety in the community.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee heard a presentation from the Legislative Budget Board on the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Article 5 budget. LBB recommended $3.7 billion in all funds for 2026-27, a 5.2 percent decrease from the base, while FTEs would rise by 856.7. Major items included funding for driver license services, DPS facilities, troopers and recruit schools, crime labs, vehicle and aircraft operations, border security, and rider changes. The committee also reviewed DPS exceptional items not included in the recommendation, including additional staffing, technology, and facility requests.
Members focused heavily on driver license operations, criticizing long wait times, call abandonment, and repeated staffing increases without clear process improvements. LBB said the agency’s call-answer rate was about 9 percent in fiscal 2024, with average hold times around 34 minutes, later reduced to roughly 22-25 minutes. Senators questioned whether more FTEs alone would solve the problem and urged a broader efficiency study and better use of technology. DPS officials said they were pursuing process changes, including appointment-system upgrades, online pre-population of forms, and remote issuance options, while noting that Real ID requirements and population growth continue to drive demand.
DPS leadership then outlined the agency’s priorities: completion of the Williamson County training academy, recruitment and retention of troopers, capital needs for vehicles and aircraft, and expanded responsibilities at the Capitol complex and the Alamo. Officials said the new trooper funding would help address staffing shortages, public safety, and border operations, and that overtime and deployment patterns had been adjusted to reduce burnout and improve flexibility. They also discussed Operation Lone Star, saying DPS spending is largely overtime, travel, and fuel, and that the agency continues to coordinate with federal partners while awaiting clarity on possible federal reimbursement for border security costs. Senators also raised concerns about oilfield theft, cartel activity, high-speed pursuits, bilingual pay, and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, and DPS said it would follow up on some of those issues.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I also have Claire Leonard, who comes to us from Health and Human Services.
- Within criminal justice and public safety, there is...
- public safety, and the overwhelming majority of judges in your districts and across this state feel
- The Commission on Mental Health, and I'll just throw this out there.
- Specialty courts include mental health courts, veterans courts, and drug courts.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee convened for its first hearing of the 89th regular session, confirmed a quorum, adopted committee rules by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the committee’s organization, introduced staff, and described the budget as conservative and focused on one-time investments. She highlighted major SB 1 priorities including property tax relief, full funding for public education formulas, teacher pay, school safety, border security, Medicaid growth, dementia research, energy and water infrastructure, transportation, wildfire suppression, and other capital and public safety needs.
Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending in 2026-27, with a projected $23.8 billion ending balance from the current biennium. He cautioned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid committing short-term surpluses to ongoing expenses. He also explained that the Economic Stabilization Fund is projected to hit its constitutional cap, meaning an estimated $5.6 billion in severance tax and related revenue would remain in general revenue in the upcoming biennium rather than flow into the fund. Senators discussed whether to raise or rename the fund and the implications of keeping more severance-tax revenue in general revenue.
The Legislative Budget Board then gave an overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major funding changes. LBB staff explained that the bill is essentially flat at $332.9 billion in all funds, but includes large method-of-finance shifts and major property tax relief. They detailed how prior property tax relief enacted in the 88th Legislature grew from an estimated $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher property values and hold-harmless provisions, and said SB 1 continues that relief with a total of $51 billion in ongoing and new property tax support. Members asked extensive questions about the automatic growth in school tax compression, the constitutional homestead exemption, COVID-era federal funding, Medicaid assumptions, and the sunset of the non-homestead circuit breaker. No additional votes or final budget actions were taken beyond adoption of the committee rules.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I also have Claire Leonard, who comes to us from Health and Human Services.
- Health created the local mental health court liaison program and funded three new FTE positions in Grayson
- public safety, and the overwhelming majority of judges in your districts and across this state feel
- The Commission on Mental Health, and I'll just throw this out there.
- and the safety of our communities outside the prison walls.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures.
Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant.
The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit.
A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Item number 32 is the Office of the Inspector General's third priority facility safety and training.
- Madam Chair, I also wanted to thank you for all of your hard work and the student safety. side of the
- and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and competitively
- was adopted at Moving to item number two, fleet safety and improvements under item number B.
- Item number four, oversight and safety.
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- witnesses and partners from the agency.
- and deletion of associated Rider 51 is adopted.
- Adopted item 15 1.5 million for network not modernization GR and GRD adopted.
- And that includes $4.2 million in all funds. Turning to page 20.
- and Human Services Commission partnership.
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Today we review Article V, Public Safety and Criminal Justice Agencies.
- Today, we review Article V, Public Safety and Criminal Justice Agencies.
- and timely.
- This interim we had a hearing in the Senate Health and Human Services where the estimate was around $5
- I mean, it is a long battle through regulations and constantly looking to improve understanding of your
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Speaker: ...focus on safety and a prioritization of safety in the facility and safety in the community
- STAR projects primarily address facility concerns categorized as life, health, and safety issues that
- STAR projects primarily address facility concerns categorized as life, health, and safety issues that
- STAR projects primarily address facility concerns categorized as life, health, and safety issues that
- They are an asset to the state employee network that we're supposed to control health and safety and
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I also have Claire Leonard, who comes to us from Health and Human Services, and Jaime has worked on both
- amount of dollars to that agency to spend on mostly salaries and correctional managed health care, and
- public safety, and the overwhelming majority of judges in your districts and across this state feel
- And the Commission on Mental Health, the Office of Court Administration.
- Specialty courts include mental health courts, veterans' courts, and drug courts.
Bills:
SB 1
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Appropriations for public school finance and school safety bills.
- Additionally, there is $469.1 million in all funds for women's health programs and maternal safety measures
- from the Department of Public Safety to the Health and Human Services Commission.
- This is a child safety issue, and we ask for your support.
- grant funds. by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Keywords:
appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1184, house, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- And we'll bring up Thomas Gleason, the Chairman, and Connie Corona.
- You can go ahead and take your seat, and Jeb, you can get started. Thank you.
- attorneys and engineers.
- It kind of came out of sunset, and you pulled away from Health and Human Services.
- Our board is given the mission of promoting, preserving, and protecting the health and safety of the
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- less. on average $0.18 with a TDI regulated health plan, $0.03 with a life insurance policy, and $0.37
- And then finally, some money for the Health First Tensions Council. And that's my story.
- and Regulation, or TDLR.
- Health and Human Services Commission, it was underfunded and grossly understaffed, which resulted in
- staff, and down the line, you had the licensing and registration... regulation, the TDLR, saying that
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The Texas Lottery, we regulate the brick-and-mortar retail location, and that's who we license and that's
- Regulatory control is a serious issue, and that's why we developed the proposal to regulate our ban and
- improve compliance with charitable being the rules and regulations.
- And so, if we're going to address safety, be it in our work zones or be it across the state.
- of Health Housing and Community Affairs, or TDHCA, starting on page one of the packet.