Transcript Highlights:

• That means there's no public hearing, no neighborhood input.
• It stops cities from regulating ADUs out of existence.
• You know, we have regulations for a reason.
• We are dealing with the data arms race. This is a good versus evil issue.
• We know that the algorithms are already tracking and monitoring our data.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:14.560><c> Taxation</c><00:08:15.400><c> and</c> are regulation Taxation and are regulation
• </c> the Senate bill that first regulated the Senate bill that first regulated vaping<00:12:29.279><c
• I'm not sure how much detail data we can get, but certainly on an aggregate basis we could look at data
• </c><02:11:58.599><c> could</c> what those rules and regulations could what those rules and regulations
• <02:18:04.920><c> and</c><02:18:05.240><c> placement</c> regulation and placement regulation and placement

Summary: The public hearing focused on HB 290, which would raise cigarette and e-cigarette/vaping taxes and create a committee to study tobacco and nicotine tax policy. Representative Jerry Stringham introduced the bill as both a public health and revenue measure, arguing that nicotine use causes health harms and public costs, and that New Hampshire’s cigarette tax has been unchanged at $1.78 per pack since 2013. He said the bill would raise the cigarette tax by $1 per pack to $2.78, still below most New England states, and would also adjust vaping taxes, which he described as having been set as placeholder rates in 2019. He said the bill would also establish a study committee to review broader tobacco and nicotine taxation, including products such as premium cigars. In response to questions, Stringham said the proposed cigarette tax would be roughly equal in real dollars to the 2008 rate after inflation, and he suggested that a smaller annual increase could be considered, though he believed a larger increase would have a stronger public health effect. He explained that the vaping tax structure differs between closed and open systems because one taxes a fixed hardware product while the other taxes reusable liquid, and he said the proposal would move the rates toward a more uniform approach. He also said New Hampshire would remain below neighboring states even after the increase, though members raised concerns about cross-border shopping, business impacts, and preserving the state’s competitive advantage. Several members questioned whether the bill’s main purpose was revenue or reducing smoking and vaping. Stringham said he viewed it primarily as a public health bill, but also as a revenue measure, and said he would consider it successful even if consumption fell enough to reduce revenue. Other members emphasized personal freedom and argued the committee should focus on taxation rather than cessation, while some supported the bill as a way to capture revenue from out-of-state buyers and keep New Hampshire’s rates below surrounding states. The hearing consisted of testimony and questions only; no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You've seen that when people get in these rooms in DC and create big burdensome regulation, the truth
• But with the excessive regulations that sometimes we can put on them here from Washington, D.C.
• And as a result, I believe regulations are disproportionately hard on small businesses.
• So I look forward to those conversations and the input of the rest of the committee as well.
• No, I think thank you for that input, Senator Cantwell.

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• center. ...want to pursue some sort of agreement with a data center or the build-out of a data center
• by ...load on rates caused by the data center, specifically caused by the data center, can that additional
• Is there a different way that data centers are done?
• There's no regulation of data centers whatsoever. And it's just the wild west.
• Thank you as far as how are you using the term regulation, I guess, what regulations?

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several member introductions and recognitions, then moved to messages from the House and special order business. The chamber first took up House amendments to Senate Bill 628 on transportation facility designations, CS for CS for HB 1389 on affordable housing/Live Local, and CS for CS for HB 1451 on utility services. Senators asked about the naming of roadways, the Live Local changes for religious institution property and the removal of accessory dwelling unit language, and utility surcharge phase-out and reporting dates. All three measures were concurred in and passed, with votes of 31-4 on SB 628, 35-0 on HB 1389, and 30-6 on HB 1451. The Senate then considered the education package, substituting CS for CS for HB 1279 for CS for CS for SB 7038. An amendment combining provisions from several education bills was adopted, and the bill passed 36-1. The chamber also took up CS for CS for SB 484 on data centers, where the House amendment removed the Senate’s NDA prohibition, kept a 12-month limit on public-records confidentiality, added a PSC tariff filing deadline, and required an OPAGA study. Senators debated transparency, local notice, and ratepayer protections; supporters emphasized that data center energy and infrastructure costs could not be shifted to other ratepayers. The House amendment was concurred in and the bill passed 31-6. After a recess, the Senate returned to the land use and development regulations bill, substituting CS for CS for CS for HB 399 for SB 208. A proposed amendment to remove language affecting a Miami Beach Fontainebleau Hotel water park project failed, while other amendments were adopted, including a sunset provision and changes related to compost-processing facilities. The chamber then adopted an amendment preserving Miami-Dade’s urban development boundary supermajority requirement and related protections, with support framed around water, flood risk, farmland, and the Everglades. Finally, the Senate began debate on a broader amendment by Senator Martin creating a process for rural boundary property owners to seek removal or compensation without litigation; the discussion focused on property rights, county liability, and whether the proposal would affect Orange and Seminole counties, but the transcript ends before final action on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 401 by Senator Connick, relative to consumer data privacy, creating the Louisiana Data Privacy
• , exemptions, and regulation effectiveness.
• It doesn't regulate the industry.
• It doesn't regulate the industry.
• Are we increasing regulation? What's new? No, no.

Bills: HR133 , HR134 , HR135 , HR136 , HR137 , HR138 , HR139 , HR140 , HR141 , HR142 , HR143 , HR144 , HR145 , HR146 , HR147 , HR148 , HR149 , HR150 , HR151 , HR152 , HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR123 , HR125 , HR126 , HR127 , HR128 , HR129 , HR130 , HR131 , HR132 , HCR53 , HCR54 , HCR55 , HCR56 , SCR3 , SCR22 , SB4 , SB18 , SB66 , SB106 , SB201 , SB256 , SB274 , SB292 , SB326 , SB386 , SB406 , SB422 , SB423 , SB456 , SB475 , HCR3 , HB1 , HB3 , HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB241 , HB244 , HB306 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB345 , HB366 , HB383 , HB446 , HB473 , HB511 , HB514 , HB655 , HB730 , HB743 , HB836 , HB983 , HB1027 , HB1037 , HB1043 , HB1082 , HB1091 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1126 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1230 , HB1237 , HB1238 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , HB76 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB475 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB376 , HB377 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB961 , HB399 , HB868 , HB905 , HB180 , HB192 , HB284 , HB476 , HB915 , HB952 , HB1006 , HB401 , HB51 , HB58 , HB140 , HB982 , HB1010 , HB750 , HB911 , HB977 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB9 , HB151 , HB193 , HB310 , HB393 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773

Summary: The House met with a quorum and spent much of the day on personal privileges, recognizing visiting groups and designating several commemorative days, including Sigma Gamma Rho Day, Alpha Kappa Alpha Day, Italian Festival royalty, Acadiana’s Red and White Day, and Louisiana Automobile Dealer Day. Members also welcomed students, civic leaders, former legislators, a state pageant titleholder, and a visiting African law enforcement delegation focused on combating human trafficking. The chamber received Senate bills and committee reports, and several resolutions were adopted without objection, including condolences resolutions and commendations for schools, festivals, and public service organizations. The House then took up a long series of bills, with many passing on final passage after brief debate or technical amendments. Measures addressed topics such as notification of inmate releases from parish jails and DOC facilities (HB 76), ethics and financial disclosure, video voyeurism involving deceased persons (HB 265, renamed the Jacob Carter Dignity and Death Act), health insurance claim practices (HB 291), victim access to parole testimony without fees (HB 32), special education due process burden of proof (HB 342), AI disclosure in medical settings (HB 475), the psychology interjurisdictional compact (HB 486), homelessness provider oversight (HB 616), AI disclosure in campaign calls (HB 639), Medicaid managed care claim review (HB 740), menhaden fishing restrictions (HB 757 and HB 855), HIV exposure law modernization (HB 808), and rare cancer treatment advisory board changes (HB 761). Most of these bills passed with strong support; HB 342 passed 98-3, HB 639 passed 86-9, HB 808 passed 99-0, and HB 855 drew the most extended debate, with supporters citing science-based conservation and opponents warning about harm to the menhaden industry and coastal jobs. The House also adopted committee amendments and set several major fiscal measures as special orders for April 16, including HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 313, HB 383, HB 983, and HB 1126. Additional bills were advanced to third reading from committee reports, and the chamber returned some measures to the calendar for later consideration. Overall, the meeting was marked by ceremonial recognitions, a heavy legislative agenda, and multiple substantive policy votes across education, health, criminal justice, transportation, ethics, and natural resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• It wouldn't be as good a bill without that input.
• A 30% reduction in anybody's business input means you're not going to stay in business.
• with data centers.
• But typically those data centers are evaporative cooling with an HVAC backup.
• So we're just looking to get more data in that space. Anything to add?

Bills: SB7

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The enhanced regulation around the revocation...
• data, and other privacy concerns.
• , immigration data, and other privacy concerns.
• Or do you believe that this activity should be regulated by CCPA?
• I appreciate the input of the opposition for their feedback.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills, with testimony split between supporters who framed the measures as targeted fixes and opponents who warned about overcriminalization and unintended consequences. SB 701, by Senator Wahab, drew support from law enforcement and local government groups, who said state law lacks a tool to address the conduct at issue; the ACLU opposed it as duplicative of existing law, while public defenders said they may withdraw opposition after amendments. Because there was no quorum at that point, the bill was held open without a vote. SB 834, by Senator DeRazzo, was presented as a technical cleanup bill to improve California’s automatic record clearance system by preventing outdated “pending” charges from blocking relief, requiring local court records to match DOJ records, and creating a way for people to obtain proof of relief. It received broad support from criminal justice reform and defense organizations, with no opposition, and the chair indicated support, but no final action was taken during the hearing. SB 248, by Senator Rubio, would require DOJ to send new gun purchasers educational materials during the waiting period about safe storage, suicide prevention, domestic violence, and related resources; supporters called it common-sense education, while one opponent argued the information is already available. The committee voted the bill out on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, but it remained on call pending one additional vote. Senator Rubio’s SB 19, the Safe Schools and Places of Worship Act, would create a new offense for credible threats against schools or houses of worship even when no specific individual is named. Supporters, including law enforcement and Jewish community advocates, said current law leaves a loophole and that the bill would help prevent panic and resource-draining lockdowns; opponents from civil liberties and youth justice groups argued existing law already covers threats and that the bill would worsen the school-to-prison pipeline. After a motion and second, the committee voted due pass to Appropriations, with the measure also left on call. Later, SB 759 by Senator Archuleta, prompted by the killing of Whittier Officer Keith Boyer, would require a court hearing after a third supervision violation or new offense for people on post-release community supervision; supporters said it adds accountability, while opponents said it removes probation discretion and could increase jail and court burdens. The bill passed due pass to Appropriations and was reported as passing. The committee also heard SB 6 by Senator Ashby, which would schedule xylazine as a controlled substance while preserving veterinary use. Supporters, including veterinarians, law enforcement, and a parent who lost a son to a drug-related death, said the drug is increasingly present in fentanyl mixtures and needs to be controlled; opponents from drug policy and civil liberties groups argued scheduling would criminalize users, hinder research, and repeat failed drug-war policies. After extensive debate, the committee voted the bill out due pass to Appropriations, and it passed. Finally, SB 11, the AI Abuse Protection Act, was introduced to regulate AI-generated voice, image, and video replicas, with supporters emphasizing protection against deepfakes and nonconsensual images; the California Chamber of Commerce opposed unless amended, seeking narrower definitions and limits on consumer warnings. The hearing ended while SB 11 was still under discussion, with no final vote reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• center. ...want to pursue some sort of agreement with a data center or the build-out of a data center
• ...load on rates caused by the data center, specifically caused by the data center, can that additional
• We were very excited about this bill as a timely and necessary way to regulate the proliferation of data
• My fear is that we have no bill pass, there is no regulation of data centers whatsoever, and it's just
• As far as how are you using the term regulation, I guess, what regulations? Senator Polsky.

Transcript Highlights:

• I thank you for reaching out and bringing forward that input.
• It also adds an appropriation to the Data Center to implement...
• It also adds an appropriation to the Data Center to implement the data repository.
• And I'm also very glad that there'll be data kept from this, and we can use that data to modify the program
• We've received very useful input on this bill, Mr.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> have</c><00:24:56.880><c> increased</c> equipment and input costs have increased equipment and input
• This regulation<00:25:08.320><c> only</c><00:25:08.640><c> benefit</c><00:25:09.120><c> large</c> regulation
• </c> American farmers under heavy regulations American farmers under heavy regulations and<00:25:36.720
• Their input costs are high because fertilizer costs are out of control.
• </c><00:49:39.359><c> through</c> congressman on honey regulation through congressman on honey regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there no input from local communities, local school boards, superintendents, local communities, local
• Education Committee, there are some places where certainly we would like to have some meetings or input
• Our data shows that access to child care directly impacts labor force participation, particularly for
• Guidance issued, reporting requirements, data collection methods, standardization as well.
• I know we have a lot of emotional feelings about bills and so forth, but learning how to collect data

Bills: SB204 , SB241 , HB34 , HB2 , SB204 , SB241 , HB34

Committees: Senate Senate Education , Senate House Education

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:04.399><c> or</c> we would want private sector input or we would want private sector input
• Regulation and the costs remain high.
• Regulation, enforcement, responsibility.
• </c><00:38:30.800><c> Effectively,</c> regulate this new industry.
• Effectively, regulate this new industry.

Summary: The joint committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Economic Development and Tourism heard three measures. HB 450, which would transfer the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, drew support from DBEDT, the State Foundation, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, DAGs, and individuals. Members asked about the bill’s purpose and the relationship between arts administration and international/cultural considerations. The committees voted to pass HB 450 with amendments, including a housekeeping change allowing specific legislative direction in narrow cases; the measure was adopted with unanimous or near-unanimous votes. HB 437, relating to out-of-state offices, received testimony in support from DBEDT and representatives of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce and another individual. The discussion focused on whether an overseas office in the Philippines was the best use of funds, given existing offices and trade relationships in places like Beijing and Taiwan. Members questioned the return on investment, fiscal priorities, and whether DBEDT had a broader strategic plan for selecting markets. The committees ultimately passed HB 437 with a Senate Draft 1 and technical amendments, with some members voting with reservations. HB 1391, relating to trade and creating a Hawaii-Ireland trade commission, also advanced after a lengthy discussion. DBEDT said it offered comments rather than a firm recommendation and explained that the bill appeared intended to build economic ties with Europe through Ireland, but members questioned why a commission was needed, how it would be structured, and whether similar efforts should focus on other countries. DBEDT said it would provide reports on sister-state relationships and office performance, and noted that trade initiatives would likely require private-sector participation. The committees passed HB 1391 with amendments and reservations from some members.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is the world that I come from, having run the data program, the MIS and data systems at the
• One, companies have a lot more data about us.
• It can't have all that data on me. It will have that data on me.
• In their complaints, the commission alleged that data brokers collect billions of data points and timestamps
• We've seen some regulator action.

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• As we move forward, you know, there may be a way that we can put that data up.
• We're not looking to avoid any of the regulations.
• Edwards said there is nothing in existence to regulate surface water withdrawals.
• and said she may be completely off base and needs more information. the data centers, right?
• So the data centers that are currently being constructed, the Meta Center, there.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up a series of coastal, seafood, wildlife, and environmental measures. House Bill 851 by Rep. Ilg, which adds intentional mass balloon releases to the gross intentional littering statute, drew support from agriculture, wildlife, and environmental groups because of impacts on livestock, wildlife, power lines, and waterways; members clarified it targets organized intentional releases, not accidental releases by children, and it was reported favorably. House Bill 652 by Rep. Broe adding a non-voting Department of Agriculture appointee to the Oyster Task Force was also reported favorably, as were House Bills 349 and 588 by Rep. Domain to expand the imported seafood safety fund’s uses and add oyster, crab, and finfish representation to the Seafood Safety Task Force. House Bill 721 by Rep. Kerner setting a 5:30 a.m. shrimp trawling start time in certain bays, House Bill 857 clarifying labeling rules for commingled imported and domestic seafood, House Bill 669 expanding state property use for Grand Isle oyster research, and House Bill 889 creating bulk tagging for oysters were each supported by industry and agency witnesses and reported favorably. House Bill 688 by Rep. Ogeron adding Atlantic tarpon to the definition of saltwater game fish was backed by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and fishing guides and was also reported favorably. The committee spent significant time on House Bill 653 by Rep. Beham, which would require one of two United Commercial Fishermen appointees to the Oyster Task Force to be a St. Bernard Parish resident. Rep. Beham argued the parish deserves a guaranteed voice because of oyster industry impacts from freshwater intrusion and the BP spill, while opponents including the Oyster Task Force chairman said the parish-specific requirement would make vacancies harder to fill and should be worked out through the task force or by amending another bill. After debate, an amendment was adopted, but the bill itself ultimately received a favorable report. Testimony throughout the meeting emphasized the economic and cultural importance of Louisiana seafood, the need to combat imported seafood fraud, and the role of oyster cultivation and shrimping in coastal communities. House Resolution 20 by Rep. McCormick, urging the Department of Conservation and Energy to study industrial water use from Caddo Lake, prompted a broader discussion about data centers and water withdrawals. Department witness Monique Edwards explained current state limits on regulating surface water withdrawals and said more authority may be needed for comprehensive water management; committee members asked for a future departmental presentation on data center water use. The resolution was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, Rep. Sawyer moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• is our main form of data.
• So therefore you couldn't regulate them in the same way that you could regulate child pornography that
• Maybe some of the experts coming in here would have some input on if there's any data or research regarding
• Welcome. ...maybe some of the experts coming in here would have some input on if there's any data or
• And then I’ll just end with data reporting.

Committee: Joint Protection and Victim Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Adversary genomic companies work with their military. to provide the data inputs for these pursuits.
• collection more broadly. data and especially AI, we now know that this data collection was part of a
• for healthcare data.
• We all know that data, when we collect the data, we can present the data, whatever we want to try to
• So in terms of the the data that the aircraft collects, there is telemetry data.

Bills: HB17 , HB34 , HB41 , HB 118 , HB 119 , HB 127 , HB 128 , HB 129 , HB 130 , HB132 , HB133 , HB17 , HB41 , HB118 , HB119 , HB127 , HB128 , HB129 , HB130 , HB132 , HB133

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: foreign ownership, real estate, national security, designated countries, Texas property law, lobbying, foreign adversaries, compensation prohibition, transparency, civil penalties, higher education, foreign adversary, research security, trade secrets, academic partnerships, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy

Transcript Highlights:

• input from you all, and also input from our House members.
• But where it got is input from many of you, But where it got is input from many of you on things that
• These hospitals are highly regulated, and they're regulated on safety, they're regulated on the safety
• But what we're... ...know the data.
• But what we're know the data.

Summary: The Committee on Rules heard a long agenda of growth-management, elections, education, housing, and professional-licensing bills. The first major item was SB 354 on “Blue Ribbon Projects,” a framework for very large planned developments on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area. After adopting a strike-all amendment, senators debated whether the bill adequately protected conservation land, local government authority, neighboring property, concurrency, and multi-county projects. Supporters argued it would create more orderly, master-planned growth and preserve large areas of land; opponents said the reserve areas were too weakly protected and the bill preempted local control. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably on a party-line style roll call, with Chair Pasadomo and Vice Chair Jones voting no. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates to disclose any foreign citizenship and, through amendments, adds a 2026 congressional qualifying framework tied to apportionment and redistricting, including revised petition rules and deadlines. Members discussed disclosure, redistricting, and candidate vetting, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill, was also amended and approved; the amendments addressed My Safe Florida Home, unclaimed property, firefighter hiring, workforce housing code accommodations, and related financial-services issues. CS/CS/SB 1620, the school board members’ bill of rights, was narrowed by substitute amendment to focus on access to records, fiscal transparency, NDAs, and related rights, and it passed after supportive testimony from school board and superintendent representatives. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material,” after debate over whether the terminology change could affect the seriousness of the crime or existing case law. SB 1548, a Live Local/affordable housing update, was reported favorably with little debate. Finally, the committee approved the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates, after amending it to require immediate supervision by a licensed veterinarian. Throughout the meeting, many public commenters and senators weighed in on the balance between development and conservation, local control, and the scope of state regulation, with several bills drawing both strong support and strong opposition before final votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 118, a bill to be entitled an act relating to regulation of presidential libraries.
• Senate Bill 118, a bill to be entitled an act relating to regulation of presidential libraries.
• Existing regulation. Patient needs prescription hearing aids during the telehealth appointment.
• and for OPPAGA to submit a consolidated version of that data in accordance with Florida statutes.
• Thank you for your input. Senator Pizzo, questions on the amendment. Seeing no questions.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing FSU Day at the Capitol, the Red Mass, visiting students, school board members, veterans, and other guests. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up a series of bills, with several measures temporarily postponed before and during the day’s proceedings. Committee and executive reports were largely absent, and the Senate proceeded directly to floor action on the listed bills. The Senate passed a number of mostly unanimous bills, including SB 36, SB 38, SB 40, and SB 42 on Florida Statutes revision; CS/SB 50 on nature-based coastal resilience, amended to strengthen the Florida Flood Hub and related research; CS/SB 116 on veterans, expanding benefits coordination, mental health training, adult day health care, and other veterans services; SB 126 on mailing prescription hearing aids to adults; SB 150 on abandoning restrained dogs during natural disasters, amended to conform to the House; SB 294 limiting collaborative pharmacy practice for certain serious cardiac conditions; SB 322 creating a nonjudicial process for removing unauthorized persons from commercial property; SB 348 on ethics, including false military rank claims and collection of delinquent ethics fines; and CS/SB 7012 on child welfare workforce recruitment, treatment foster care pilots, and data collection for commercially sexually exploited children. Senate Memorial 314 urging Congress to increase Florida National Guard force structure was also adopted by voice vote. Two bills drew more extended debate. SB 118 on presidential libraries passed 36-3 after questions about local zoning, traffic, and whether the bill’s express preemption would limit county and municipal authority; supporters argued it would prevent local obstruction and help Florida attract a presidential library, while one senator said she would vote no because of concerns about local safety and planning issues. CS/SB 160 on public accountancy passed 39-0 after an amendment clarifying contracted services; supporters said it would broaden pathways into the CPA profession and address workforce shortages. CS/SB 108 on administrative procedures and CS/SB 110 on rural communities were temporarily postponed, then later taken up and passed after extensive debate, with SB 110 amended to prioritize certain rural transportation projects, expand housing, health care, broadband, and economic development support, and draw strong bipartisan praise for its focus on rural Florida. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify all bills passed that day to the House, observed a moment of silence for former Surfside Chief John Healy, and made several closing announcements and recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're implementing major regulations on off-road diesel engines, Tier 5 rulemaking for diesel engines
• Talking about rules and regulations, right? What is the potential cost on one side?
• I think we need to be looking at data after we make decisions, too, right?
• I think we pass a lot of rules, we pass a lot of regulations, and then we don't know what happened.
• I have experience as a negotiator, a facilitator, a regulator, and a lawyer.

Summary: The committee first established quorum and then approved several governor’s appointments and procedural items, including appointments to the Civil Rights Council, Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, UC College of the Law, San Francisco Board of Directors, bill referrals, and floor acknowledgments. Most of these items passed unanimously, while the Civil Rights Council appointment of Indira Cameron Banks passed 3-2. The bulk of the meeting focused on confirmations to the California Air Resources Board. Supervisor Linda Hopkins and Mayor Patricia Locke Dawson, both nominated to CARB, described their backgrounds and emphasized balancing climate and air-quality goals with economic impacts, community engagement, and practical implementation. Senators raised concerns about cap-and-trade costs, leakage, warehouse and truck traffic impacts, agricultural burdens, emergency vehicle and fleet electrification challenges, natural gas appliance rules, hydrogen, nuclear energy, and the need for socioeconomic analysis. Both nominees said they favored open-door engagement, listening to affected communities, and using data and technology-neutral approaches. Public commenters largely supported both nominees, and the committee voted to advance Hopkins 4-0 and Locke Dawson 5-0 to the full Senate. The committee also heard the appointment of Andrew Rakestraw as chair of the Board of Environmental Safety. Rakestraw, who previously worked in U.S. climate and legal roles, said he would focus on transparency, accountability, fiscal stability, and community responsiveness at DTSC. Senators questioned him about DTSC reform, community engagement in places like the Hinkley/Herupah Valley and Exide cleanup areas, fee-setting and fiscal stability, the hazardous waste management plan, and coordination with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council. He said the board should go beyond brief public comment periods, engage communities directly, and ensure community concerns are reflected in outcomes. Supporters from environmental justice and waste-management groups testified in favor, no opposition was offered, and the committee moved his nomination forward to the Senate floor, with one member abstaining.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also need regulation.
• We need regulation and thoughtful regulation.
• We also need regulation.
• We need regulation and thoughtful regulation.
• Way to avoid being regulated.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Summary: The committee first took up AB 56, a bill by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan to require social media platforms to display a warning about potential mental health harms from sustained use, especially for minors. The author and supporters, including a bereaved parent and a therapist, argued that social media contributes to teen anxiety, self-harm, and isolation, and that a warning label would help families make informed choices. Opponents from TechNet, CCIA, and privacy groups said the bill would be ineffective, could be ignored, and raised First Amendment and implementation concerns. Members discussed emergency access during disasters, multilingual warnings, and whether the warning should be more action-oriented. The committee accepted amendments, then voted 9-0 to pass AB 56 to the Judiciary Committee, with several members noting support and some requesting to be added as coauthors. The committee then heard AB 358, which would let law enforcement inspect certain tracking or surveillance devices found in a victim’s home or vehicle without first obtaining a warrant, if the victim consents. The author and a San Diego prosecutor said the bill is meant to help stalking and domestic violence survivors quickly examine devices like AirTags or hidden cameras before evidence is lost, and they emphasized the bill was narrowed to devices used solely for surveillance. Opponents from the EFF and ACLU argued the bill would weaken CalECPA and create a warrantless-search loophole, while some members raised Fourth Amendment, transparency, and ICE-sharing concerns. Others supported the bill as a narrow, common-sense tool for victim safety. The committee passed AB 358 on a 9-0 vote to Appropriations. Finally, the committee heard AB 1137, which would strengthen California’s reporting system for child sexual abuse material on social media platforms. The author said the bill expands who can report CSAM, requires clearer reporting mechanisms, adds human review in some cases, and creates public audit and enforcement provisions to improve compliance with the existing framework enacted last year. Supporters, including survivors and advocacy organizations, said the bill would reduce the burden on victims and help remove abusive images more effectively. TechNet, CalChamber, and CCIA opposed unless amended, saying the human-review, audit, and public-reporting requirements could be costly, burdensome, and potentially harmful to safety and security. Members generally supported the goal but raised concerns about the frequency and public release of audits and the role of human review; the bill was left open for further action after discussion.