Video & Transcript Research : 'taxpayer-funded lobbying'
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TX
Bills:
HB115
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.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development Mar 19th, 2025
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- This programs I see funding for new technologies and innovation across all industry sectors.
- It's very hard to raise other funds. These funds don't take away your equity.
- It just wouldn't might not have any grants to fund it immediately.
- Funding was still exist and we we passed this, the state funding matching and can give them more uh more
- This means costs to everyday Texans and taxpayers.
Bills:
HB 186
Keywords:
public funds, lobbying activities, political subdivisions, government expenditure, transparency, local government, political subdivision, county, city, municipality, special district, taxpayer-funded lobbying, lobbying restriction, registered lobbyist, government association, county association dues, Texas Legislature, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, Chapter 556
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It says if a municipal library hosts one of these events, they won't get any public funding.
- We'll cut off all public funds from cities and from the state.
Keywords:
municipal libraries, state funding, gender identity, public events, children's literature, SB 19, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county, city, municipality, taxpayer-funded lobbying, lobbying ban, public funds, registered lobbyist, Chapter 305, Government Code, Local Government Code, county association dues
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development Mar 19th, 2025
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- These programs provide seed fundings for new technologies and innovation across all industry sectors,
- So it's really at that innovation stage, it's very hard to raise other funds.
- These funds don't take away your equity, it's just a grant from the federal government.
- Might not have any grants to fund it immediately.
- This means costs to everyday Texans and taxpayers.
Keywords:
social media, children, account verification, data privacy, parental control, property owners' association, residential watering restrictions, vegetation, fine limitations, drought, technology, innovation, economic development, grants, Texas Economic Development, business funding, HB 1395, private passenger vehicle rental, car rental, vehicle rental
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- , and Senate Bill 19 will ban taxpayer-funded lobbying in Texas.
- The taxpayer funded lobbying That is the use of public funds by political subdivisions for registered
- with, and that's why, again, taxpayer-funded lobbying is forced speech.
- Taxpayer funded lobbying often pits local.
- Taxpayer funded lobbying is not a new problem.
Keywords:
Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water permit, water appropriation, dam permit exemption, reservoir, flood control, floodwater control, erosion control, sediment control, watershed protection, flood prevention, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, USDA, local sponsor, district, authority, water infrastructure
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It says if a municipal library hosts one of these events, they won't get any public funding.
- Funds from cities and from the state that to be covered by this bill the library must host an event which
Keywords:
municipal libraries, state funding, gender identity, public events, children's literature, SB 19, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county, city, municipality, taxpayer-funded lobbying, lobbying ban, public funds, registered lobbyist, Chapter 305, Government Code, Local Government Code, county association dues
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 19 by Middleton et al, relating to the use by of public funds for lobbying and certain other
Bills:
SJR 5, SJR 36, SJR 5, SJR 5, SR 105, SR 121, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28
Keywords:
bail, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, public safety, constitutional amendment, school safety, mental health, emergency response, education policy, law enforcement, SR 121, Senate Resolution 121, Pete Alfaro, Pedro Cuellar Alfaro, Pedro Alfaro, Baytown, Texas Senate tribute, in memory, memorial resolution, condolence resolution
AL
Bills:
SJR 5, SJR 36, SJR 5, SJR 5, SR 105, SR 121, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28
Keywords:
bail, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, public safety, constitutional amendment, school safety, mental health, emergency response, education policy, law enforcement, SR 121, Senate Resolution 121, Pete Alfaro, Pedro Cuellar Alfaro, Pedro Alfaro, Baytown, Texas Senate tribute, in memory, memorial resolution, condolence resolution
TX
Bills:
HB115, HB 115, HB507, HB1765, HB1847, HB2046, HB2239, HB2328, HB2309, HB2417, HB2728, HB2794, HB3206, HB3566, HB3694, HB3744, HB4254, HB4697, HB4733, HB4915, HB5465, HB2813
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
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The members will be paid from funds appropriated to the Texas Texas Indigent Defense Commission.
- The Texas Indigent Defense Commission will provide. using already appropriated funds.
Bills:
HB 115, HB507, HB1765, HB1847, HB2046, HB2239, HB2328, HB2309, HB2417, HB2728, HB2794, HB3206, HB3566, HB3694, HB3744, HB4254, HB4697, HB4733, HB4915, HB5465, HB2813, HB115
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
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- Bill 3466 is a bill request from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission that eliminates their petty cash fund
- They no longer use this petty cash fund and just would like to get rid of it in statute.
Keywords:
high-demand facilities, electric utilities, public infrastructure, water management, taxpayer-funded subsidies, decommissioning plans, local control, citizen initiative, referendum, electric utility, large load customers, infrastructure, utility planning, electricity rates, cost allocation, data centers, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, ratepayer protection, HB3466
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It waives governmental immunity, costing taxpayers even more in legal fees and draining local budgets
Keywords:
biological sex, government information, definitions, sex-based distinctions, public health, flags, display, state law, municipalities, government buildings, drug enforcement, local control, home rule, municipal charter, county policy, ordinance preemption, state preemption, attorney general enforcement, civil penalties, mandamus
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Working at Fund Texas Choice has only slid a step further than that.
- Hello, I am Cathy Torres, the organizing manager of Frontera Fund, an abortion fund serving the Rio Grande
- In response, I filed this bill to protect the integrity of our taxpayer-funded entities.
- We must protect the neutrality and dignity of taxpayer-funded entities as elected officials are meant
- We strongly oppose HB3990, which would ban the display of pride flags in taxpayer-funded buildings.
Keywords:
HB 229, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county dues, county association, state association of counties, lobbying, lobbyist, public funds, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, Government Code Chapter 556, Local Government Code Section 89.002, legislative advocacy, municipal government, county government, city government, special district
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It is about efficiency of taxpayer resources.
- from accessing these funds as well.
- So we do fund our programs in a couple of different ways.
- So with this additional source of funding, we basically have an evergreen fund.
- Those funds are federal funds. Those are very limited. You have waiting lists for those families.
Bills:
HB158
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- No taxpayer-funded subsidies for these entities.
- No taxpayer-funded subsidies for these entities.
- These facilities must fund all of their electric infrastructure upgrade costs.
- certainly share your concerns about needing to put guardrails in place to make sure that we don't fund
- these data centers that are coming to our sense... ...that we don't fund these data centers that are
Keywords:
high-demand facilities, electric utilities, public infrastructure, water management, taxpayer-funded subsidies, decommissioning plans, local control, citizen initiative, referendum, HB2992, Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, Corporation Commission, Oklahoma utilities, ratepayer protection, data centers, artificial intelligence computing, AI data centers, cryptocurrency mining, large load customer, electric rates
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- dollars. meant for the classroom to fund political activism and political agenda.
- It was guiding funding and guiding board policies in this area.
- To the committee, if funding is an issue, the number of taxpayer dollars spent in a diversity equity.
- funds to circumvent these very laws using tax pair funded lobbying and litigation to silence parents
- These children belong to their parents they belong to their parents and We fund our schools with taxpayer
Keywords:
parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, school district, grievance procedure, public education, diversity and inclusion, funding penalties, school libraries, library advisory councils, library materials, educational content, challenging materials, constitutional amendment, school choice
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- So thank you for helping your constituents and taxpayers eliminating that. that wasteful position saving
- the taxpayers money and today we've got so many from the county up in the gallery right now.
- Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve as a special fund managed under the comptroller of public accounts.
- of Texas, in those various funds.
- They're well delineated and there are many... funds that the comptroller oversees.
Bills:
SJR34, SB10, SB18, SB19, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB480, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB767, SB790
Keywords:
parental rights, parents, children, custody, care and control, upbringing, family law, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, child welfare, education policy, medical decisions, parental authority, primary decision makers, family autonomy, education, Ten Commandments, public schools, religious display, First Amendment
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Texas Ethics Commission Sep 17th, 2025 at 09:09 am
Transcript Highlights:
- Additionally, these are not state funds; these are donated funds by employees.
- state funds.
- State funds. These are individual funds that individual employees direct to nonprofits.
- If you lobby but spend less than 26 hours on lobbying and preparation for lobbying, you nevertheless
- Necessary to lobby.
Keywords:
Texas Ethics Commission, legislative recommendations, general counsel appointment, foreign lobbying, political contributions, quarterly meetings, public testimony, rule amendments
Summary:
The meeting focused on the Texas Ethics Commission's (TEC) evaluation of legislative recommendations and personnel updates, including the appointment of a new general counsel and discussions about upcoming quarterly meetings. Commissioner Schmidt reported on the progress of various bills, including amendments to existing laws, the need for increased regulation on foreign lobbying, and the publication of new rules in the Texas Register. Public testimonies were heard regarding compliance issues and proposed changes in political contribution regulations. The Commission agreed to schedule further review on the legislative items discussed and the proposed rule amendments.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
EIG-TRS, EIG-JDC Public Hearings 04-07-2026
Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded
- orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded
- orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded
Keywords:
Civil Rights Act, discrimination, employment, housing, public accommodations, LGBTQ+ rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, Equality Act, civil rights, federally funded programs, 912, senate, all
Summary:
The joint committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, Transportation, and later Judiciary heard two sets of resolutions. The first, SCR 132 and SR 124, urged the City and County of Honolulu to take steps to finalize the Makakilo Drive Extension Project. Testimony from a Makakilo resident emphasized the lack of a second access route and raised safety concerns about being trapped in the area in an emergency. Both committees voted to pass the resolutions unamended.
The second set, SCR 11 and SR 9, requested that the U.S. Congress amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. Supporters from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, IMUA Alliance, and Pride at Work in Hawaii argued that stronger anti-discrimination protections are needed to reduce vulnerability to violence, housing insecurity, and exploitation, and to provide federal protections that mirror state law. One senator asked whether state protections already exist and was told the resolutions seek federal-level protections because federal law can supersede state law. Both committees adopted recommendations to pass SCR 11 and SR 9 unamended, with votes in favor and some members excused.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Business meeting to consider the nomination of Michael Faulkender, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury; to be immediately followed by hearings to examine the nomination of Mehmet Oz, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the Centers Mar 14th, 2025 at 09:00 am
Finance Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- and weaponizing the IRS against American taxpayers.
- In my view, this is going to end with Donald Trump and Elon Musk driving innocent taxpayers to misery
- , and that's setting aside the hardship that's going to be inflicted on taxpayers by decimating taxpayer
- I asked him, for example, whether the president has the authority to impound funds, a clear violation
- The Medicare trust fund will be insolvent within a decade.
Keywords:
Michael Falkender, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, IRS, taxpayer privacy, nomination process, committee hearing
Summary:
The committee convened to discuss critical issues surrounding the nomination of Michael Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. This meeting included a series of remarks from committee members who expressed divergent views on Falkender's qualifications and the implications of his appointment. Senator Wyden voiced strong opposition, arguing that Falkender represents harmful policies expected to be perpetuated under the current administration, especially concerning taxpayer privacy and IRS tactics. Meanwhile, other members defended Falkender, noting his extensive experience, including a commitment to transparency in government operations if confirmed.