House gives first readings to a slate of bills, refers measures to committees and adjourns until Jan. 20, 2026

The House opened with a prayer by Representative Harris of Appenuz and approved the journal before giving first readings to a package of bills covering energy, education, child care funding, health-care licensing, criminal fines and restitution, driver's licenses, sentencing in cases involving exploitation of minors, wildlife retrieval and restrictions on teen driving.

House file 2105, introduced in the session and shown on the floor as sponsored by Bekniewski, calls for a study of excess energy production by electric power generation facilities and was referred to the Commerce Committee. The clerk also read House file 2106 (listed in the transcript as "by federal bill"), which would modify provisions related to students’ protected speech and the Department of Education’s duties and civil penalties; that measure was referred to the Education Committee.

House file 2107, credited to Jones, would appropriate funds to the Department of Health and Human Services for a statewide Child Care Solutions Fund program and was referred to the Health and Human Services Committee. Also referred to Health and Human Services was House file 2108 by Bowdoin, described in the transcript as relating to discipline for nurses unable to speak English proficiently.

House file 2109 by Thompson concerns the disposition of collected criminal case fines and the establishment of a victim restitution fund and was sent to the Judiciary Committee. House file 2110 by Shipley addresses issuance of driver’s licenses and non-operator identification cards and related physical forms and noncompliance with federal requirements; it was referred to the Transportation Committee.

House file 2111 by Stone, described on the floor as relating to deferred or suspended sentences in cases involving explicit exploitation of a minor, was referred to the Judiciary Committee. House file 2112 (Jones) would regulate the retrieval of wounded deer by registered aerial vehicles and include penalties; it was referred to the Natural Resources Committee. Finally, House file 2113 by Jones addresses driving privileges for people under 18 who previously held a special minors restricted license and were subsequently suspended; it was referred to the Transportation Committee.

Representative Nordman of Dallas moved to adjourn the House until Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at 10 a.m., saying, "I move the House adjourn until Tuesday, 01/20/2026 at 10AM." The motion was decided by voice vote; the presiding officer declared, "The ayes do have it," and the House adjourned.

All measures received their first reading and were referred to the committees named on the floor; no committee action or final passage on any of the measures was recorded during the session.