Transcript Highlights:

• The money collected will be deposited in the state health care affordability account and may be spent
• Family members, often women, step in and provide unpaid care, which removes dollars from being spent
• According to economists, the economic footprint of every additional dollar spent on compensation for
• I've spent my entire career working in this state and have experienced life as a self-employed contractor
• I've spent my entire career working in this state and have experienced life as a self-employed contractor

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on January 20, 2026, hearing several bills related to retirement systems, school employee health coverage, port district pensions, environmental fee accounts, developmental disability services, legislative budget transparency, and a new Apple Health employer assessment. Early in the meeting, the committee heard SB 5834, which would make permanent a temporary expansion allowing certain retirement trust fund earnings to pay broader administrative expenses, and SB 5835, which would raise the lump-sum retirement allowance threshold for Plan 2 members from $50 to $250. Both bills were presented by Department of Retirement Systems staff and supported by the department, with questions focused on the scope of the administrative-expense language in SB 5834 and the technical nature of SB 5835. The committee then entered executive session and moved three bills without recommendation to the Rules Committee: Substitute SB 5249, allowing kit homes as emergency housing; Substitute SB 5053, allowing certain counties to include school district boundaries when forming a public facilities district; and Substitute SB 5203, directing state agencies to develop a wildlife habitat connectivity strategy and creating related accounts. After returning to public hearing, members heard SB 5883 on SEBB eligibility for school employees in their second school year of employment. Supporters, including labor representatives and individual school workers, said the bill would reduce coverage gaps and improve recruitment and retention, while school district officials and administrators argued it would create an unfunded mandate, increase costs, and add administrative burden. No action was taken on the bill. The committee also heard SB 5905, which would exclude certain port district employees from PERS if they are covered by the federal Railroad Retirement Plan or a collectively bargained defined benefit pension plan. Port representatives, labor stakeholders, and the Department of Retirement Systems described it as a narrow technical fix to avoid duplicate pension coverage and retroactive liabilities, and the bill drew support. SB 6151 would create dedicated accounts for Ecology fee revenue tied to laboratory accreditation and landfill methane work; Ecology and county representatives supported the measure as a way to reinvest fees in the programs that generate them. SB 6163 would require the Individual and Family Services waiver for developmental disability services to be budgeted at maintenance level; advocates said it would stabilize services and prevent waitlists, and no opposition was heard. The final two bills were SB 6177, which would require LEAP’s budget website to display additional budget detail such as carry-forward data, program and subprogram expenditures, and balance sheets for all public accounts, and SB 6173, which would create an Apple Health employer assessment on larger private employers with workers enrolled in Medicaid expansion coverage. SB 6177 was framed as a transparency measure, while SB 6173 drew extensive testimony both in support and opposition: supporters said it would help offset expected Medicaid losses after federal work requirements take effect and stabilize the health safety net, while opponents argued it would be an unfunded tax, create administrative and legal complications, and could discourage hiring or reduce hours. The committee heard no final votes on the public hearing bills, and staff reminded members that signature sheets would be held for 24 hours under Senate rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• is a much longer period of time than the statutory requirements, because that involves the time I spent
• We spent a lot of time updating our standard operating procedures and our application checklist.
• While reporting and monitoring is important, every hour spent reporting is an hour not spent reviewing
• So with this program, we spent a huge— it was a huge time investment—to make more intake checklists,
• of a sophisticated model where we analyze the past eight years of permits for review time that was spent

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• is that they must be kept in a separate funding account by the local government, and they must be spent
• They're limited to where they can be spent.
• They're limited to where they can be spent.
• Property that was not even close to being valued at the process that was spent, because we have to dump
• , the ideal is, if you go back to the test, that the money we collect from the developer has to be spent

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the 2026 session and took up impact fees, with an opening overview from Eric Poole of the Florida Association of Counties. Poole explained that impact fees are one-time charges on new development used only for new infrastructure capacity, not existing deficiencies or maintenance, and must satisfy the dual rational nexus test. He traced their history in Florida and described how comprehensive plans, concurrency, and later mobility fees relate to local infrastructure funding. He argued that impact fees are restricted, tied to capital improvements, and are one tool for paying for growth. Panelists representing counties, cities, builders, and community developers largely agreed that growth creates real infrastructure costs but differed on how those costs should be allocated. County and city representatives said impact fees are a necessary, targeted way to fund roads, water, sewer, fire, schools, and parks without spreading costs across all taxpayers. They pointed to long periods without fee updates, rising construction costs, and examples of large increases justified by studies. Builder and developer representatives argued that fees are often unpredictable, can be doubled or tripled, and contribute to housing affordability problems; they also said the system can be inconsistent across jurisdictions and may encourage sprawl. Several witnesses emphasized that fees must be transparent, proportional, and tied to actual benefits, and some suggested a statewide framework or mobility-fee model with more consistency and peer review. Members asked about how long local governments can hold fee revenue, whether fees can generate profit, what they can be spent on, and whether they can pay for police stations, fire stations, or other public safety facilities. Witnesses said the funds must be used for capital projects and cannot be used for salaries or unrelated purchases, and that refunds may be required if money is not spent within the local ordinance’s timeframe. The discussion also covered examples of local fee increases, the use of impact fees versus direct construction or “pipelining” of infrastructure, and concerns about level-of-service changes and extraordinary-circumstance increases. No votes were taken; the meeting ended after the panel discussion and member questions, with the chair noting the conversation would continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the things, you know, I've been to some of the encampments, I've spent time with a lot of
• And what I realized when I spent time with them is so much of their work is built on the relationships
• And they spent an enormous amount of time. For many justifiable reasons.
• And they spent an enormous amount of time building that trust, building that relationship, so that when
• As someone who spent more than 27 years serving as the chief elections official in Santa Cruz County,

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with a Native American prayer/song and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then handled a series of procedural motions. Members voted on multiple appeals and referrals involving SB 280 and ACA 8; the Speaker’s rulings were sustained on several points, and motions to re-refer the measures to different committees were ultimately adopted or rejected as noted. The Majority Leader also secured unanimous-consent and roll-call motions to suspend rules and file-notice requirements so the Elections and Appropriations Committees could notice ACA 8 and SB 280 for hearings and reporting deadlines. The chamber then took up several resolutions and concurrence items. Senate amendments were concurred in for AB 829, AB 463, AB 493, and AB 1387, each passing with unanimous or near-unanimous roll-call votes. The Assembly also adopted ACR 102 recognizing California Native American Day and the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference, after extensive remarks from members of multiple caucuses and a Native American Day ceremony honoring tribal leaders, a judge, a councilwoman, a tribal chairman, and Clovis Unified students who defended their right to wear regalia at graduation. ACR 100 honoring India’s Independence Day was likewise adopted with broad support, and HR 48 marking the 105th anniversary of the 19th Amendment passed after debate about voting rights and women’s suffrage. Members also recognized guests from the music industry in support of ACR 105, and later adopted HR 44 honoring homeless service providers, with speakers emphasizing the scale of homelessness and the work of frontline workers. Additional guest introductions included representatives from Pakistan and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. The day concluded with adjournment-in-memory tributes for Joel Nilsen and Grace Kojima, followed by announcements of the next session dates and adjournment under the call of the Speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• you're seeing right now is Democrats' frustration after two years and $18 billion of surplus being spent
• 46.640><c> being</c> 2 years and $18 billion of surplus being 2 years and $18 billion of surplus being spent
• Uh that they're finally having to spent.
• We saw $18 billion of surplus being spent that year.
• We saw $18 billion of surplus being spent that year.

Transcript Highlights:

• I spent my whole life in Florida's public schools.
• want my tax dollars to go towards strengthening the public school system that I graduated from and spent
• I spent 35 years in corporate America.
• So for the members of the public who have spent their time in contributing to the conversation today,
• All right, having spent over 100 hours on this bill, Amanda, please call the roll.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and took up several education bills. SB 1150, by Senator Calatayud, was presented as a measure to help school districts retain school social workers by removing an exam requirement unrelated to the profession. With no questions or debate, the committee voted the bill favorably. The committee then moved to SB 1514, by Senator Smith, on anaphylaxis response in public schools. After adopting a delete-all amendment and a late-filed amendment clarifying FDA-approved epinephrine devices and weight-based dosing, the committee heard support from Orange County Public Schools and reported the bill favorably. The most extensive discussion centered on SB 1708, also by Senator Calatayud, which would expand Schools of Hope by broadening the definition of low-performing schools from those in the bottom 10% in both math and reading to those in the bottom 10% in either subject, and would authorize co-location of Schools of Hope in underused public school facilities. Senators questioned how co-location would work, who could enroll, how liability and contracts would be handled, and whether the bill would help the specific students most in need. Many public speakers opposed the bill, arguing it would strain already underfunded public schools, reduce space and resources, and unfairly favor charter operators. The sponsor said the bill would not reduce classroom space in use, would require contracts to address safety and liability, and would provide a net positive to districts through a $600-per-student facility payment plus associated funding. After debate from both supporters and skeptics, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also considered CS for SB 822, by Senator Rodriguez, which would give charter schools more autonomy over governance and operations, including deadlines, enrollment caps, student conduct policies, and data sharing. The Florida Charter School Alliance supported the bill, arguing it would create parity and reduce burdens on charter schools, while committee members pressed the witness on claims of district “harassment” and the basis for those concerns. The bill was reported favorably after a roll call vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded votes on prior tabs, thanked staff, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an attorney by education and trade, and I spent three years here in Tallahassee working.
• In addition to my career in health care, I spent a decade as chief operating officer of our family's
• I spent 20 years in education in Pasco County as a special education teacher.
• state of Florida, and I've served as a City of Kissimmee engineering manager in the past, and I've spent
• staff monthly to review budgets and expenditures to ensure tax dollars are collected and are being spent

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The committee first heard CS/SB 270, which would extend Bright Futures eligibility by 12 months for certain students whose parent was serving overseas in public service and then retired, giving military and diplomatic families more time to return to Florida without losing scholarship eligibility. Senator Burgess also explained a late-filed amendment to set the bill’s effective implementation for the 2025-26 school year, and the committee adopted the amendment without objection. The bill received supportive testimony, including from Senator Smith, and was reported favorably by a roll call vote. The remainder of the meeting focused on confirmation hearings for appointees to state college boards of trustees, with the chair emphasizing a new process of hearing from each nominee individually rather than taking a blanket vote. Nominees from Tallahassee State College, St. Johns River State College, South Florida State College, Broward College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Palm Beach State College, Pasco-Hernando State College, and Valencia College described their backgrounds and priorities, which largely centered on workforce development, nursing and health sciences, dual enrollment, fiscal responsibility, student retention, and partnerships with local employers and communities. Several nominees highlighted their own educational or professional ties to the colleges, and some noted the importance of serving rural or military-connected communities. One nominee, John Aloko for Pasco-Hernando State College, was not present because he was attending a conference in Hawaii and was deferred to a later hearing. After hearing all other nominees, the committee voted to recommend confirmation of the remaining appointees in a block vote, covering Tabs 2 through 22 except Tab 8, and the motion passed. Two members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on earlier items.

Transcript Highlights:

• He came to Pinellas County 10 days after Hurricane Helene came through, spent six hours with myself and
• We have spent an awful lot of time talking about affordable housing, and we feel that CRAs do incredibly
• They spent $17.5 million of CRA funds on affordable housing.
• I'd like to find a good landing place, you know, off of the 2019 bill that we all spent a lot of time
• You know, off of the 2019 bill that we all spent a lot of time on, and I'm going to vote for today, but

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs met and took up a long agenda of bills, beginning with SB 262 on trust law technical changes. Senator Berman explained four clarifications involving trust decanting, successor trustee actions, ademption by satisfaction, and homestead/community trust definitions; a technical amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved SJR 174 and SB 176, which together would prevent certain homestead tax assessment increases when owners elevate flood-prone homes, and SB 180, a hurricane preparedness and response bill that included a strike-all amendment addressing FEMA reimbursement, mutual aid, hazard mitigation, and post-disaster rebuilding issues. Supporters from emergency management, beaches, counties, and local business groups testified in favor of SB 180, and it was reported favorably. Members then approved SB 608, which renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in Florida statutes, despite questions about cost and an appearance in opposition. SB 1002, dealing with utility service restrictions and local government limits on energy-related policies, drew opposition from Earthjustice and Florida for All over possible unintended consequences and fossil-fuel favoritism, but was still reported favorably. SB 466 on the Florida Museum of Black History generated extensive testimony, with strong support from St. Augustine, Florida Memorial University, pastors, local officials, and the museum foundation for locating the museum in St. Johns County; one witness argued for Eatonville instead, but the bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 1128 on building permits for single-family dwellings after an amendment clarified local zoning review and added insurance and liability protections for design professionals. SB 582, increasing penalties for unlawful demolition of historic buildings and structures, was reported favorably with support from preservation advocates. SB 1202, extending family health insurance premium benefits to firefighters permanently disabled during training exercises, also passed without opposition. Finally, SB 1242 on community redevelopment agencies prompted the most debate: supporters argued CRAs can be valuable tools for affordable housing and redevelopment, while opponents warned the bill would effectively end all CRAs by 2045 and block new projects; after extensive discussion, the bill was reported favorably. At the end, senators recorded additional votes on several tabs, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• did was look at that $3 billion, and I had my staff dig into where that money has gone and how we've spent
• Some of them are their contractual obligations in terms of the way that these funds can get spent.
• or from the required fees and typically are restricted by state laws in terms of what they can be spent
• resources that potentially would come to the institution, allowing for some additional revenue to be spent
• I spent some time talking about this earlier, and the sort of siloed process, and the Chancellor, I think

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to examine how Florida’s state universities are funded and to begin discussing a possible university funding model. The panel included the State University System chancellor and CFOs from FSU, UF, FAMU, FAU, UNF, and UCF. Members first reviewed major cost drivers, which the universities said are broadly similar across institutions: wages and benefits, equipment and supplies, financial aid, professional services, utilities, IT, and maintenance. Several institutions noted unique pressures from geography, growth, research intensity, and mission, such as UCF’s size and engineering focus, UF’s land-grant and research enterprise, FAMU’s need to recruit top talent while serving a high-Pell student population, and FSU’s large facilities and research obligations. The chancellor also summarized systemwide cost growth since 2012-13, including higher health insurance, retirement, and salary costs, while noting tuition had been held flat. The committee then discussed other revenue sources, including auxiliaries, restricted funds, capital projects, and component units such as foundations and health systems. University leaders explained that many of these funds are restricted to specific purposes, and some, like UF Health, account for a large share of operating expenses. Members also discussed the current performance-based funding process. University representatives generally praised it for transparency, accountability, and its focus on student success, but said the heavy use of one-time funds, nonrecurring appropriations, and unfunded mandates makes long-term planning difficult. FSU and others argued that rising employee costs, waivers, and facilities expenses are not fully covered, while FAMU said performance funding has improved outcomes but can disadvantage institutions serving more low-income students. In response to questions about improvements, the universities suggested more recurring and predictable funding, better coverage of mandated costs, more flexibility in fees, and continued investment in research and strategic priorities. The chancellor said the Board of Governors is considering a version 3.0 of performance funding that would benchmark institutions against peers and Carnegie classifications. The committee also explored whether universities should have more flexibility to set out-of-state tuition and professional school tuition. Most university leaders favored giving boards of trustees more authority, while the chancellor cautioned that increasing out-of-state enrollment or tuition too much could affect legislative support. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with the chair thanking the panel and adjourning the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So going forward, we hope that more time is also spent talking about these inefficiencies, highlighting
• as well as the DFL side that emphasize prevention and establish guard rails that the committee has spent
• forward, we hope that uh more time is forward, we hope that uh more time is also<00:09:03.839><c> spent
• </c><00:09:04.320><c> talking</c><00:09:04.640><c> about</c><00:09:04.880><c> these</c> also spent talking
• ><00:09:17.680><c> um</c><00:09:18.320><c> committee</c><00:09:18.560><c> has</c><00:09:18.800><c> spent

Transcript Highlights:

• Organizations like CalTax play an important role in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly
• Organizations like CalTax play an important role in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly
• and tax policies, important role in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly, and tax policies

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayer and the pledge, and then moved through a series of privileges-of-the-floor recognitions. Senators honored California Interscholastic Federation Scholar-Athletes Ryan Liu of Burlingame High School and Mona Sugawata of West Torrance High School for their academic, athletic, and community achievements, and welcomed a delegation from Jiangsu Province in China to mark the 15th anniversary of the California-Jiangsu sister-state relationship. The chamber also recognized the California Taxpayers Association on its 100th anniversary and welcomed Senator Ochoa Bogh’s district staff visiting Sacramento. On floor actions, Senator Menjivar moved to rescind the vote on AB 1457 and place it on third reading; the motion passed on a 28-9 roll call. The Senate then took up the consent calendar, approving Assembly Concurrent Resolutions 129, 164, and 166 by a 38-0 vote, with the same vote applying to the related items. No items were pulled from consent. The remainder of the session consisted of adjourn-in-memory tributes. Senators Becker, Wiener, and Rubio honored Clarence Jones, Rita Semmel, and Deputy Levi Vargas, respectively, highlighting Jones’s role with Martin Luther King Jr., Semmel’s leadership in San Francisco’s Jewish and interfaith communities, and Vargas’s service with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Senate then announced the next floor session for Monday, June 8 at 2 p.m., and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a justice-impacted individual, I spent many years incarcerated within New York State correctional
• As weird as this may sound, I spent a lot of time in there.
• So it's kind of hard for me to separate myself from what's happening in there because I spent so much

Committee: Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction met to consider the nomination of Alexander Dockery to serve as a part-time commissioner on the State Commission of Correction (SCOC). Chair Julia Salazar introduced the nomination, noting that the role was created under recent prison reform legislation and that one commissioner must be a formerly incarcerated person. Dockery described his background as a justice-impacted individual who spent years incarcerated in New York, earned a master’s degree, and now works with justice-impacted people on reentry, housing, employment, and education. He said his lived experience and work in a youth detention setting would help him bring both an incarcerated-person and staff perspective to the commission. Senators asked Dockery about why he wanted the position, how his experience would inform oversight, how to improve correctional conditions, how to reach young people before they enter the system, and how to support the Correctional Medical Review Board in investigating deaths in DOCS custody. Dockery emphasized rehabilitation, education, humane conditions, and collaboration with other commissioners and community networks. He said people with direct experience, including formerly incarcerated individuals and former gang members who have turned their lives around, should be brought back into facilities to speak with youth. On deaths in custody, he said existing reporting laws should be enforced and that timely information to families is important. Several senators offered supportive comments, calling the nomination historic and stressing the importance of lived experience, credibility, and the responsibility of being the first formerly incarcerated commissioner. After discussion, the committee moved the nomination, with Senator Harckham making the motion and Senator Bailey and Senator Bullitt seconding. The committee voted to report the nomination to Finance, and the motion carried without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Was he just scrapping the committee's vast time spent working on this and replacing them with other people
• One million dollars already spent on compensation with what results?
• $350 million wasted. $350 million wasted, almost $1 million spent by Vener for what?

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee took up several budget and personnel items, first approving revised requests from the Auditor’s Office and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. The Auditor’s request lowered its salary-and-match increases to 10 percent, with operations and UCP amounts reduced to $245,490 and $109,711. The Lieutenant Governor’s revised request kept positions at line-item maximums and sought $99,876 in regular salary and match appropriations, or 17.43 percent. Both items were approved without objection. The main discussion centered on a member amendment from Senator Rice to Senate Bill 30 affecting the Governor’s Office. The amendment would eliminate one senior advisor position, reduce authorized positions from 59 to 58, and cut salaries and matching funds by a total of $264,895. Senator Rice argued the reduction was warranted because of concerns about former Corrections Secretary Joe Profury’s handling of corrections-related matters, including the Franklin County land purchase, transparency issues, and his refusal to appear before Joint Performance Review. Several members questioned the relevance of the testimony and noted the Governor could still hire him in another role if she chose. After discussion, a roll call vote was taken and the amendment failed. The committee then approved two routine items: OPM’s request to reinstate a labor market rate at the crime lab so it can offer up to $300,000 to recruit two medical examiners, and Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for 11 positions tied to the new veterinary medicine school. Both requests were approved, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wasn't going to debate, but I got an elephant memory, so my chief of staff and I—Maggie—spent 302 days
• Maggie and I spent 302 days, as some of you may remember, during COVID in Tallahassee.
• I first of all want to thank the six wonderful committee chairs who have spent many hours, including

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Doctors of the Day. Members then offered several gallery introductions and Capitol Day recognitions, including St. Johns County Day, Florida Space Day, Florida State Parks Day, AMIkids Day, Manatee County Days, New College of Florida Day, and Florida Keys Day. The chamber received and adopted a committee report on 65 executive appointments. Debate focused on the confirmation of Tina Vidal-Douart, with one senator opposing her appointment over concerns about contracts tied to detention facilities and political contributions, while another senator spoke in support based on her assistance during COVID testing efforts. The report was adopted by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays. On the special order calendar, the Senate passed Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 48 on housing, which requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units under specified conditions and extends certain density bonus incentives for military families. The Senate also passed Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 578, creating a statewide Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Initiative through the Department of Elder Affairs. Both bills passed 38-0. Appropriations Chair Hooper gave a budget update, saying the Senate budget rollout would move to February 12 in committee and February 18 in full appropriations. The Senate then waived rules to immediately certify all bills passed that day to the House, and adjourned until Wednesday, February 11, for committee meetings and other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:22:38.880><c> in</c> every taxpayer dollar will be spent in every taxpayer dollar will be spent
• They still have $100 billion, with a B, sitting in the bank that they haven't spent yet.
• </c> the bank that that they haven't spent the bank that that they haven't spent yet.<04:41:45.680><c
• And uh across the top, he spent letters.
• </c> security assistance is spent where? security assistance is spent where?

Transcript Highlights:

• The district has spent the last 75 years turning that vision into reality.
• Yet, he spent years of his life dedicated to the task. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, John Romo did...
• Robert spent 30 years as a resident of Orland, California, where he spent a career in the industry before
• There were $7 spent for those functionally under 18. That is almost reversed now.
• And we spent a couple moments. We walked... And we spent a couple moments.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they spent a lot of additional time making sure they had business process modeling done, making sure
• So they're calculating total man hours spent doing all of these things, how much of it is done doing
• A lot more technical questions, a lot more in-depth than the amount of time we spent here.
• So it was very well time spent.
• Our training: we’ve spent $10,000 bringing in external trainers.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal government spent $6.8 trillion. This is a huge problem.
• We have already spent enough money. at the state level.
• As it stands, we spent $11 billion on Governor Abbott's Operation Lone Star.
• Eleven billion dollars is been spent already.
• Those are funds that need to be spent on that one purpose, dedicated.

Bills: SB1 , HB500 , SB1 , HB1400 , HB 1094 , HB365 , HB 1109 , HB647 , HB500

Transcript Highlights:

• We are asking people who have spent years earning college and graduate degrees to spend the first decade
• c><00:05:10.800><c> people</c><00:05:11.080><c> who</c><00:05:11.200><c> have</c><00:05:11.280><c> spent
• </c> We are asking people who have spent We are asking people who have spent years<00:05:11.960><c> earning
• We spent one night in the hospital and we were charged over $2,000.
• In 2025, I spent over $17,000 on healthcare costs for my family.

Bills: HF3119

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And I have great respect for the people who spent so much time on it.
• And I'm a great respect to the people who spent so much time on it.
• But it's, we need to Student Opportunity Act, and I'm a great respect to the people who spent so much
• And how that money gets spent, how it's been spent, and how it will be spent in the future is incredible
• . ...that money gets spent, how it's been spent, and how it will be spent in the future is incredibly

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a public hearing in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 budget for education and local aid. Opening remarks from Senator Pavel Payano, Representative Pat Duffy, and local leaders emphasized the importance of education funding for Lawrence and other Gateway Cities, with Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero highlighting the city’s high-need student population, Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, early college and career pathways, and the need for sustained support to close achievement gaps. The Education Secretariat testified in support of the budget, with Acting Secretary Amy Kershaw outlining investments in early literacy, universal pre-K, student mental health, school meals, high school redesign, higher education affordability, and early childhood systems. Commissioner Noi Ortega described higher education proposals including expanded free community college, continued free tuition at public four-year institutions, student success funding, early college and dual enrollment investments, and the Bright Act and Drive Act. Commissioner Pedro Martinez detailed K-12 proposals such as full Student Opportunity Act funding, increased Chapter 70 aid, special education circuit breaker funding, transportation aid, literacy initiatives, and a new Accelerating Achievement Initiative aimed at schools with the greatest needs. Commissioner Kershaw also described early education proposals including funding for C3, child care financial assistance, CPPI, workforce supports, and administrative funding restoration. Committee members questioned the administration about the pending local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to address health care and other cost drivers in school funding. Officials said the local contribution report is expected by the end of June and that a draft will be shared for public comment after data analysis is complete. Members also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities between districts and urged a broader review of the formula. In response, the commissioners said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but further work is needed, and they pointed to the new achievement initiative, literacy efforts, and early college expansion as ways to improve outcomes. No votes were taken at the hearing.