Transcript Highlights:

• This bill removes the requirement for a parent to provide a birth certificate as part of the uniform
• And while a birth certificate is commonly requested, each state permits alternative documentation if
• a certified birth certificate is unavailable.
• , a hospital birth record or physician's certificate, adoption records, court ...a hospital birth record
• or physician's certificate, adoption records, court records, prior school records showing date of birth

Summary: The Senate reconvened, received House communications and committee reports, and then took up several bills and a resolution. Committee reports covered measures on composting, volunteer background checks, campaign finance, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, publication of Public Integrity Commission reports, Cheswold’s territorial limits, child support, alcohol and marijuana, salary supplements, certified registered nurse anesthetists, land use, school taxes, and a constitutional elections amendment. House Bill 344 and House Bill 444 were referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The Senate also confirmed the nomination of Christy N. Vitola as Commissioner of the Family Court by a 21-0 vote. The chamber then recognized several fellows and Girls’ State delegates, with tributes to the Legislative Fellows Program and the Communications Fellowship, followed by House Concurrent Resolution 152 honoring the 2026 Delaware Girls’ State participants. The resolution passed unanimously. Senators and guests spoke about the civic value of the program and introduced the Girls’ State leadership team and delegates. On legislation, the Senate passed House Bill 89, creating a dispute-resolution process for home improvement fraud and strengthening consumer protection enforcement; House Bill 381, requiring notice to the Attorney General of computer security breaches; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 407, making technical and penalty updates to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 150, limiting civil arrests at courthouses and Industrial Accident Board offices; and House Substitute 2 for House Bill 94, restricting state and local participation in civil immigration enforcement at sensitive locations such as schools, houses of worship, and health care facilities, with emergency exceptions and reporting requirements. The Senate also began consideration of House Substitute 1 for House Bill 368, which would limit use of state and local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement while preserving exceptions for serious offenses and judicial warrants, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Exactly how much, I can't put an exact figure on, of course, until we see the certifications from the
• Overall, they are there, and we will have to see what happens when we get the certifications.
• When we get the certifications, that $431 million, again, if you're looking at the previous cycle, we
• They put that dollar amount in their certificate of levy as dollars.
• They put that dollar amount in their certificate of levy as dollars.

Summary: The Budget Section met to approve prior minutes and receive a series of budget, revenue, and program updates from OMB, the Tax Department, DOT, DMR, and DPI. OMB reported that general fund revenues through May were about $76 million below the legislative forecast, driven mainly by individual income tax and sales tax shortfalls, though the biennium is still projected to end with a positive balance. OMB also reviewed oil price and production assumptions, the budget stabilization fund transfer above its cap, Legacy Fund performance, federal grant applications, fiscal irregularities, tobacco settlement proceeds, budget guidelines for agencies, vacancy savings, and the DAPL settlement, noting that most of the settlement funds had been deposited but a small amount of accrued interest would require a future deficiency request. The committee then considered Emergency Commission requests. It approved requests for Public Service Commission abandoned mine lands federal authority, an Attorney General FTE and related funding for criminal investigator work tied to the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, and a DPI transfer for bridge software costs. After discussion, the committee also approved DPI’s request for a $500,000 transfer for the food vendor program, despite questions about the program’s savings and cash-flow structure. Later, the Tax Commissioner presented the primary residence credit program, reporting that current biennium costs are expected to exceed the appropriation by about $22 million and explaining how the credit interacts with homestead and disabled veteran credits and the 3% property tax levy cap. The Legacy and Budget Stabilization Fund Advisory Board reported strong returns for both funds, and DOT sought and received approval for two flexible fund highway projects on ND 49 and ND 31. DOT also updated members on Highway 85 construction and said remaining flex fund dollars were essentially fully allocated. DMR reported on the abandoned well plugging and site reclamation fund, noting North Dakota’s relatively small orphan well inventory, current and projected fund balances, rising remediation costs, and a possible need to adjust the fund cap in future sessions. Finally, DPI outlined the new integrated formula gap funding program, explaining that it compensates school districts that cannot reach the assumed 60-mill local contribution because of the 3% levy cap; the first year’s gap funding totaled about $1.8 million, with future costs expected to grow.

Transcript Highlights:

• who graduate from these particular programs and have the skill sets that they need already, or certifications
• It makes no sense to have someone participate in a lengthy certification process and come to find out
• Those also tend to be much longer certificate-driven programs, things like barber, culinary, et cetera
• to continue education, whether that is a formal college education or continuing education with certificates
• Introduction to microscopes, for instance, or just any of those certificates that you can receive.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission approved the July 11 minutes and then received a detailed follow-up presentation from the Department of Correction on facility footprint, mission-driven housing, programming, and technology. Commissioner Jenkins and Deputy Commissioner Peterson explained recent and planned facility changes, including the closures of Walpole, MCI Cedar Junction, and MCI Concord, the transition of the Plymouth Section 35/Mass Act program to Health and Human Services, the return of Bay State to DOC control for possible future use, and the Shattuck Hospital move to East Newton Pavilion. Members asked about operational capacity, the exclusion of support beds from occupancy figures, and the status of mothballed or unused facilities. Framingham drew particular attention because of its historically low women’s population and planned renovations; members raised concerns about the cost and the need to consider the broader women’s correctional system. A major portion of the meeting focused on mission-driven units and evidence-based programming. DOC described specialized units for health services, nursing care, clinical stabilization, mental health, residential treatment, protective custody, reentry, emerging adults, education, and substance use recovery, and noted that security threat group support beds are not used. Staff explained the distinction between general population beds and support beds, and between programming and treatment. They said core recidivism-reduction programs are based on risk-need responsivity and COMPAS assessments, with Spectrum Health Systems as the current vendor, and presented recidivism data showing lower reoffending among participants who completed programs such as violence reduction, criminal thinking, and the Correctional Recovery Academy. For women, they highlighted the pathways model at MCI Framingham, which combines trauma-informed, gender-responsive services, and reported strong outcomes for those engaged for at least 26 weeks. Members asked about how needs are identified and counted, how declinations are handled, and how the department distinguishes completion from ongoing maintenance. DOC said participation is voluntary, individuals are re-recommended over time, and completion is recorded in the system when criteria are met. They also discussed educational supports for learning disabilities and trauma, including IEP/504 coordination, tutoring, and a new school psychologist for testing. Questions were raised about family reunification programming, and DOC pointed to family-focused services, mediation, Read to Me Mommy, and the Brave unit for young fathers. Sheriff Cabral and Sheriff Cochie praised the presentation and emphasized the importance of family reunification and the realities of trauma in incarcerated people’s lives. The final section highlighted the expanded use of tablets across all facilities. DOC said tablets now support free phone calls, emails, video visits, surveys, educational content, medical updates, sick-call requests, and an earned-good-time app, while also helping with communication during facility closures and with ongoing programming. Staff said the tablets are used both for learning and recreation, and that more than half of the incarcerated population uses them monthly for educational purposes. Members discussed whether user feedback or “reviews” of programs could help increase participation, and DOC said tablet-based surveys make that possible. The meeting ended with general agreement that the department has expanded programming and technology substantially and is using them to support reentry, communication, and facility operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• automated independent vote validation process for every ballot cast in every election prior to certification
• I lost my birth certificate, passport, Social Security card, and every important document I owned.
• Replacing expensive, hard to obtain documents like my out-of-state birth certificate was not immediate
• Providing documents like passports, original birth certificates, proof of name change.
• More than 4.7 million Floridian Abdullah Skir: women in Florida do not have a birth certificate with

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no requirement for scuba certification.
• There is no requirement for scuba certification.<00:21:44.159> There's<00:21:44.400> no
• <00:21:44.559> requirement certification.
• There's no requirement certification.
• It certainly did not result in certification, which shocked his father and mother.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The public water system must notify TCEQ of that issuance, and TCEQ oversees the certification.
• Water Quality Management Plan certification program for producers.
• Certificates of location for restoration purposes will enable us to have even more reefs restored.
• I do have one question regarding it, though, with herd certification. All you'll have to do is...
• Are y'all working together on this H.E.R.P. certification plan that we brought up in a phone conversation

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , including 15 project management professionals, 65 cybersecurity professional certifications, and over
• 50 other certifications across IT domains.
• That offers certification and upskilling programs.
• CISP, which has different certification levels across the state.
• There are set training programs, like the Florida Certified Contract Manager certification and Florida

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting to examine Florida’s information technology governance, budgeting, cybersecurity, data management, and telecommunications operations. Chair Schneider and other members framed the panel as a new joint policy-and-budget forum focused on reducing jargon, improving accountability, and asking whether technology investments are feasible, aligned with state goals, cost-controlled, and secure. State Affairs Chairman Will Robinson and members emphasized that the committee should avoid buying “shiny new objects” without clear business cases and should focus on long-term value, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency. Florida Digital Service and Department of Management Services leaders provided an overview of the state IT enterprise. Secretary Pedro Allende described DMS as the state’s business, workforce, and technology service provider, while State CIO Warren Spanholz outlined Florida Digital Service’s four core areas: cybersecurity, project success, data interoperability, and enterprise architecture. Chief Data Officer Ed Ryan said the state data catalog is about 400,000 elements and roughly half of agencies are participating, and he described efforts to identify authoritative data sources and improve interoperability. Chief Information Security Officer Jeremy Rogers discussed the state cybersecurity operations center, enterprise risk management, incident response exercises, and a recurring $35 million cybersecurity resiliency budget. Chief Technology Officer Leo Schoonover described oversight of major IT projects over $10 million, updated project management standards, and a shift toward smaller phased implementations and more flexible methodologies to reduce delays and overruns. Other presenters covered telecommunications, data center operations, and cybersecurity workforce development. Director Denise Atkins said the Division of Telecommunications manages Suncom and MyFloridaNet, with nearly $336.9 million appropriated for fiscal year 2024-25, and is procuring the next network contract while emphasizing security controls and vendor flexibility. Tim Brown said the Northwest Regional Data Center operates on a chargeback basis, serves state and local customers, and returned surpluses to customers in recent years. Cyber Florida Director Ernie Ferraroso described training, workforce pipelines, K-12 outreach, a cyber range, and research programs aimed at building Florida’s cyber workforce and improving public-sector readiness. Members asked about budget setting, project delays, change orders, cybersecurity reporting, data catalog participation, interoperability, and expanding cybersecurity operations centers. Officials said chargeback rates are based on actual direct and indirect costs, project delays often stem from unclear scope and insufficient upfront planning, and cybersecurity success is measured by mean time to detect, respond, and recover. They also said the state is moving toward more modular project delivery, broader agency participation in shared cybersecurity services, and expanded CSOC locations within existing staff and budget where feasible.

Transcript Highlights:

• LEED certification is given to a project after it's open and operational.
• So you physically can't have a LEED certification in order to get a CEQA exemption.
• So, Senator, with the governor's certification, the community benefits agreement negotiations, the workforce
• So Senator, with the governor's certification, So Senator, with the governor's certification, the community
• And there are different ways to meet the certification.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• LEED certification is given to a project after it's open and operational.
• So you physically can't have a LEED certification in order to get a CEQA exemption.
• So, Senator, with the governor's certification, the community benefits agreement negotiations, the workforce
• It's—and there are different ways to meet the certification.
• It's, and there are, there are different ways to meet the certification.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The gentleman from Bernalillo to offer a certificate and some recognitions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Is there on this certificate that generated from Santa Fe, Senator Blahun. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• I just stand in support of the certificate.
• We've got a few more certificates.
• Speaker, I have a certificate for Disability Rights Awareness Day. Okay, go ahead, gentlelady.

Bills: HB111, HB103, HB60, HB108, HB120, HB145, HB154, HB164, HB291, HJR6, HR1, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB38, HB47, HB63, HB64, HB127, HB165, HB184, HB200, HM20, HM51

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll be very brief in just making it clear that professional learning certification programs are what
• I'll be very brief in just making it clear that professional learning certification, I'll be very brief
• in just making it clear that professional learning certification programs is what actually helped me

Bills: S0182, S1318, S1690

Keywords: education, Florida schools, charter schools, private schools, school choice, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, FTC scholarship, scholarship accounts, fund reversion, public school curriculum, cursive writing, handwriting, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, patriotic programs, In God We Trust, teacher mentoring, teacher training, new teacher support, classroom management

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K through 12 Committee considered three bills and reported all of them favorably. SB 1318 by Senator Rodriguez made a technical clarification to the Florida tax credit scholarship program so that when a scholarship account is closed, any remaining funds revert but do not revert to the state. The bill was taken up without debate and passed on a favorable roll call vote. The committee then heard CS for SB 1690 by Senator Calatayud on child care and early learning services. The bill updates child care laws, improves transparency and accountability, clarifies terminology, and aims to avoid over-regulating before- and after-school programs. The committee adopted an amendment clarifying rulemaking authority, shifting it to the State Board of Education. Senator Berman questioned a provision related to information on leaving children in vehicles, and Senator Calatayud said she would follow up. The committee then voted the bill favorably. Finally, the committee considered CS for SB 182 by Senator Jones on school teacher training and mentoring programs. A strike-all amendment aligned the bill with the House companion, limited mentor placements to D- and F-rated schools, expanded participation to districts and charter schools, tightened mentor qualifications, authorized stipends up to $3,000, and allowed use of educational enrichment funds. The amendment was adopted, supportive appearance forms were waived in, and the bill was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, members recognized committee staff and applauded Kathy Missouri for her last committee meeting, and senators later recorded additional affirmative votes before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I soon after became a member and went on to get a few certificates in machines like forklift and small
• on to<00:12:48.720> get<00:12:48.880> a<00:12:49.000> few<00:12:49.399> certificates
• <00:12:50.079> in<00:12:50.320> machines to get a few certificates in machines to get
• a few certificates in machines like<00:12:51.519> forklift<00:12:52.519> um<00:12:52.639
• sat for and pass national certification sat for and pass national certification exams<00:36:32.520

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At the time, existing state law was clear that after the certification of election results, the chain
• To reduce the penalties for failure to include a firearm safety certificate within the report to the
• Current law requires a person to obtain a firearm safety certificate, or FSC, before they can purchase
• Criminals do not attend mandatory training courses or comply with certificate requirements.
• requirement for those that are getting a firearm safety certificate, including live-fire training.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It could be certificates of participation. It's just another form of bonding.
• Um, look forward to hearing about certificates of participation.
• <00:53:33.040> Maybe certificates of participation. Maybe certificates of participation.
• They're instead selling the certificates of participation, which are long-term agreements to pay back
• They're instead selling the certificates of participation, which are long-term agreements to pay back

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it transitions them to licensure instead of just certification by the Department of Human Services
• the certification to this July 2026. the certification to this July 2026.
• It's a voluntary certification, and that we were also able to implement the housing support option sooner
• It's a voluntary certification, and that we were also able to implement the housing support option sooner
• It's a voluntary certification, and that we were also able to implement the housing support option sooner

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been able to earn certifications and even spot when a kid was behind in a speech.
• I've been able to earn certifications<00:03:28.080> and<00:03:28.319> even<00:03:28.560
• certificate of completion. certificate of completion.
• Your child can now go and learn a certificate.
• Your child can go now go certificate.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and the Governor Scholars Program. The FCCLA student speaker described how career and technical education helped her gain certifications, work in early childhood settings, and recognize a child who needed speech help, emphasizing support for CTE, FCCLA, and related student organizations. The Governor Scholars Program presentation, led by Dr. Jennifer Price with student speakers Max Corbett and Abigail Ziggler, focused on the program’s role in serving about 1,500 rising seniors each summer, its history since 1983, its statewide reach, and its impact on leadership development, college readiness, and keeping students connected to Kentucky. Members praised the students and program, and several shared personal stories about the program’s long-term benefits. Representative Camuel asked about funding, and Dr. Price said the program’s request was $2.1 million to maintain current enrollment levels of about 1,020 scholars for 2026; no vote was taken on that request during this segment. The committee then took up House Bill 498, sponsored by Representative Duvall, with Aaron Looper of Graduation Alliance testifying in support. A committee substitute was adopted after explanation. The substitute broadened eligibility for accredited providers to include public and nonprofit entities, allowed each county an opportunity to provide services with a $200,000 aggregate maximum per county, reduced the dollars per credit to serve more students, and made date corrections. Representative Duvall said the bill was a workforce measure developed from the Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force and aimed at adults who lack a high school diploma but have two years or less remaining to graduate. Looper said the bill would create a pathway for adults to earn a regionally accredited high school diploma, paired with workforce and industry-recognized credentials, and stressed that it would not compete with GED programs, which are better suited for adults farther from graduation. He said the model is pay-for-performance, with providers paid only after milestones are completed, and that it would be available online, in person, or in hybrid form to improve rural access. In response to questions, he said students would not be charged fees, providers would handle transcript retrieval and remediation, and the program would include built-in accountability measures. He also said the budget request is $2 million per year, with the goal of maintaining the current level of service and eventually expanding if successful. Members asked about how the program differs from existing adult education options, access in all counties, and whether there are deserts in service availability; Looper said the online model and provider outreach are intended to address those gaps.

Transcript Highlights:

• As such, we advocate that the original testing certificate, certifications, and documents be retained
• Again, delete ‘copy’ and insert ‘the certificate.’
• So, the clerks would keep the original certificate and copy the Secretary of State’s office.
• copy, and insert the certificate. copy, and insert the certificate.
• Delete and copy and insert the certificate. >> Pretty sure that was agreeable to everybody.

Bills: SF0028, SF0030, SF0031, SF0032

Keywords: voting, elections, electronic voting systems, transparency, public testing, voter registration, qualified elector, residency requirements, voting rights, mortgage modification, priority, electronic signatures, real property, financial covenants, 911 services, emergency response, grant funding, next generation technology, government accountability, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• there is any form of a the certification there is any form of a background<02:46:20.960> check
• :18.880> through<02:50:19.120> the getting the certification through the getting the certification
• <02:51:01.040> So, a totally engrossing certification.
• So, a totally engrossing certification.
• and then 20 fees on each certificates and then 20 fees on each certificate<02:51:10.240> or<02

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• defines me as a citizen of certificate defines me as a citizen of the<01:02:04.240> United<01
• So the notary certificate was just sealing the deal, right, confirming that the process—we now have a
• was just the the the notary certificate was just the sealing<01:36:36.119> the<01:36:36.280><
• <01:57:06.599> so<01:57:06.840> the the fix before the certification so the the fix
• But that's how they made the notary certificate go away.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 306, with substitute, by Representative Ree, relating to teacher certification.
• The temporary certificate would be a five-year certificate.
• >> now before they get certification. >> now before they get certification.
• Nobody is mandated to hire the individual or give the certificate.
• They have to give the certificate.

Keywords: 1136, house, all