Transcript Highlights:

• That's just one area that I've uncovered in my district.
• The whole intent of SR was really to build our workforce and ensure we have a workforce, and this allows
• It's also a child care and a workforce issue.
• We used to be under workforce development, under the Agency for Workforce Innovation when that agency
• We will have two superintendents here, one from a larger area and one from a rural area, so we can get

Summary: The Education Administration Subcommittee held an introductory meeting focused largely on member introductions and “homework” reports about education issues in each district. Members raised a wide range of concerns and priorities, including early childhood care and VPK access, school choice and school closures, teacher recruitment and retention, conflict resolution and school safety, early literacy and preparedness, technology and AI/STEM instruction, attendance and mental health, ESE services, dual enrollment and career/technical education, caregiving youth, and real-time student enrollment/funding tracking. Several members also emphasized local challenges such as housing-driven teacher turnover, disaster-related attendance problems, and funding inequities across counties. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Florida’s early learning system from Chancellor Carrie Miller of the Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning. She outlined the structure and funding of School Readiness, VPK, and the Gold Seal Quality Care program, the role of early learning coalitions and DCF, and the state’s quality and accountability measures. She highlighted the importance of kindergarten readiness, teacher quality, and the new School Readiness Plus program, which helps families transition off subsidy more gradually. Additional panelists from the Children’s Forum, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, and a Tallahassee child care provider discussed workforce shortages, low wages, provider turnover, the TEACH scholarship program, Help Me Grow, local coalition operations, and the need for more providers and more consistent regulation. During questions, members asked about wait lists, special needs services, teacher retention, provider onboarding, and DCF regulation. The panel said Miami-Dade’s wait list was about 4,000 children and described priority categories for service; they also said children with disabilities are screened and referred for support, though not given a separate priority category. Panelists reported that TEACH has helped reduce turnover through education support and service commitments, but said wages and career pathways remain major issues. Members also pressed for clearer, more consistent licensing standards and more support for new providers entering the field. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• CALLING THE CAREER AND WORKFORCE SUBCOMMITTEE TO ORDER.
• NOT TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGY. THE TECHNOLOGY WILL DEVELOP.
• WORKFORCE AND THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE USE OF THIS WORKFORCE.
• IT WILL NOT SUPPLANT THE WORKFORCE. IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP THE WORKFORCE.
• WE HAVE STUDENTS AND JOURNALISM AND MANY OTHER AREAS.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, these are policy choices about what we as California means as workforce development and who we're
• I mean, these are policy choices about what we as California means as workforce development and who we're
• And we've decided on a random Thursday in May that this is going to be the new main workforce development
• It's an incredibly important program and a huge economic development engine, particularly for rural areas
• It's an incredibly important program and a huge economic development engine, particularly for rural areas

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard several May Revision proposals, primarily from the Department of Food and Agriculture, the Government Operations Agency, the Department of Technology, and the Franchise Tax Board. CDFA presented funding for the animal care program under Proposition 12, a transition away from the state hemp program to USDA oversight by January 1, 2028, ongoing support for agricultural statistics reporting after USDA reorganization, and trailer bill changes to the department’s indirect cost cap. The LAO generally supported the animal care, hemp transition, and statistics proposals, while also urging future review of the Prop 12 funding once litigation is resolved. The indirect-cost-cap language was described as technical and not increasing charges to programs, and it was held open with no objections from the LAO or Finance. The committee also discussed the new federal Workforce Pell program and related Cradle to Career funding and trailer bill language. Finance said the state is still reviewing federal rules and is focusing on basic implementation steps, with the trailer bill assigning eligibility determinations to the California Student Aid Commission, requiring data sharing through Cradle to Career, and prioritizing public institutions first. The LAO urged caution because the federal rules were just finalized and said the Legislature should better define the process and costs before appropriating the $1.3 million requested for Cradle to Career. Members raised policy concerns about limiting the program to certain institutions and about aligning the proposal with pending legislation and broader workforce policy. The Department of Technology presented a $1 million request for Poppy, the state’s digital assistant, to expand a secure GenAI platform for state employees. Members asked detailed questions about data security, model training, bias controls, and whether the system could eventually support local governments; CDT said the system uses state-controlled cloud infrastructure, does not use user data for training, and quarantines new models for review. CDT also sought provisional authority for the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative to cover possible operating shortfalls while the network is still being built; the LAO remained concerned about broad spending authority, and several members questioned the revenue assumptions and oversight. FTB then proposed retaining a smaller set of CalFile resources after the federal Direct File program was discontinued, with the LAO saying the reduced staffing level was broadly reasonable but still worth legislative scrutiny. The committee also began hearing the administration’s revenue proposals, including a permanent limitation on business tax credits and a tax on electronically delivered prewritten software, with the LAO generally supporting the goal of raising ongoing revenue but recommending changes to the software proposal’s exemptions and business-use treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they're really represents U.S. commitment to stay at the forefront of a education workforce development
• I grew up here in Florida and the Tampa Bay area.
• He's strong, believe on workforce development in a He's strong, believe on workforce development in a
• development, education programs.
• So last time Representative Young had asked if there were any workforce development programs experiencing

Transcript Highlights:

• The partnership with UNM, Sandia, and LANL is helping really enhance workforce development, promote R
• Cities with the state, with our economic development department, but also with labor and workforce organizations
• The other piece is on the workforce development or include pillar, but I'll let Megan talk about that
• Secretary Black, along with the area economic development team and Albuquerque County Manager Wayne Johnson
• those strength areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• In workforce education, key investments include $487.2 million in workforce development funding, which
• Cloud area.
• to area.
• I'd like to be the premier provider for regional workforce development for those industries that I just
• I'd like to be the premier provider for regional workforce development for those industries that I just

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office and the Commissioner of Education on the proposed higher education budget. The presentation highlighted a $117.4 billion overall state budget, with education at $32.5 billion and higher education receiving a modest overall increase. Key items included no tuition or fee increases for Florida residents, major financial aid funding such as Bright Futures, Benacquisto, EASE, Open Door, and first responder scholarships, as well as workforce investments including apprenticeship programs, career and technical education, nursing pipeline funding, and performance-based funding for colleges and universities. Committee members asked questions about the proposed expansion of the Guardian program at state colleges and the $100 million university recruitment and retention fund. Officials said the Guardian funding would give colleges flexibility to use trained personnel for campus safety, sometimes alongside or in place of campus police or private security. The Chancellor explained that the recruitment and retention money would be distributed to universities with no specific directives beyond using it for faculty recruitment and retention, emphasizing Florida’s favorable demographics and the opportunity to attract faculty from states facing enrollment declines. The committee then heard testimony from multiple appointees and reappointees to boards of trustees at state colleges and universities, including Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Miami Dade College, Northwest Florida State College, and St. Johns River State College. Each described their backgrounds and stressed themes of affordability, workforce alignment, nursing and technical programs, dual enrollment, and local community needs. Several cited strong nursing licensure pass rates and college outcomes. After hearing all appointees, the committee voted unanimously to confirm the full block of nominees, and the confirmations were reported favorably before the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This program is similar to the existing Workforce and Affordable Home Ownership Development Program,
• This program is similar to the existing Workforce and Affordable Home Ownership Development Program.
• Investing in Black Workforce Development, that's another opportunity, and it's a return on the investment
• Investing in Black Workforce Development, that's another opportunity, and it's a return on the investment
• Investing in Black Workforce Development, that's another opportunity, and it's a return on the investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• White, William White, who is our career and workforce development director, along with Claude Mentot,
• We've developed a really robust internship program.
• So what does our current landscape look like for workforce right now?
• And we already know we have an aging workforce.
• Economic development and recruitment has been very successful in Mobile.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So our first panel this morning is Water and Natural Resources Workforce. Development and Wrap Up.
• We were not workforce development experts, but as good organizers we know what that means.
• The water workforce looks a lot like the agricultural workforce in New Mexico. It's aging.
• Please remember, we do have There is a need for workforce development in this area, and anything your
• Then the material disposal area C, and then the aggregate area. cleanup.

Transcript Highlights:

• development benefits.
• I made the jump to light speed, and I led development teams developing the first infrared missile deception
• “I’m in this area.
• being such an important workforce engine in the Pensacola area where you have six military bases right
• in that area.

Summary: The committee on Higher Education Appropriations heard and favorably reported two bills: SB 1570, which revives the former Project Leo program to help locate missing persons with special needs through voluntary tracking devices and coordination with sheriff’s offices, and CS/SB 1376, which creates a grant program to support genetic counseling education in response to a statewide shortage of genetic counselors. Both bills drew supportive comments, with the genetic counseling bill also receiving public support from a university representative. The committee then took up a large slate of confirmations. It first approved a block of reappointments to various university and college boards of trustees, including institutions such as UWF, Broward College, Chipola College, FIU, Pasco-Hernando, Polk State, St. Petersburg College, Valencia, FAMU, FAU, UCF, FSU, New College, UNF, USF, and Broward College. It then heard from numerous new appointees and some requested reappointments, many of whom emphasized workforce training, nursing, military and veteran support, dual enrollment, and local economic development as priorities for their institutions. Several nominees highlighted their personal ties to the schools and communities they would serve, including appointees to Pensacola State, Polk State, St. Petersburg College, UNF, UWF, FIU, the College of the Florida Keys, Valencia College, and Chipola College. Committee members repeatedly asked about nursing NCLEX pass rates, workforce alignment, and institutional growth. One reappointment, Thomas Zachary Smith to the UWF board, was pulled from the block for separate questioning about his past public comments and his role in Project 2025; he said he would serve in his personal capacity and treat all students equally. The committee also separately heard from a Florida Poly reappointment, I. Shapiro, who was questioned about prior remarks regarding race and Supreme Court nominations, and from a New College reappointment, Mark Bowerlaine, who described campus improvements and enrollment growth. The meeting ended amid ongoing confirmation processing and separate votes on the remaining nominees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 97.8% of the Texas workforce is non-union, which means on...
• One, you talk about the overall workforce, but we're not talking about the overall workforce here.
• The Texas workforce is what you said.
• Only 20% of our workforce is going to be able to work on it.
• PLAs are more than just a contractual tool; they're a strategic workforce development mechanism.

Bills: HB1951, HB2715, HB3092, HB3237, HB3278, HB3511, HB3592, HB3675, HB3778, HB3782, HB3826, HB3970, HB4016, HB4049, HB4341, HB4344, HB4406, HB4427

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, we're doing everything we can to help develop the workforce of the future.
• development agency.
• And I'll give you an example about just one strategic area.
• So many of the ESEs are long-term programs and the headcount, unlike A traditional workforce development
• And so for us, it's about that care that wraps around the housing and the workforce development piece

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was going to meet workforce needs as well as our student needs.
• One of the biggest challenges facing our industry and many others is workforce development.
• We focused on a workforce between 2013-14 and 2023-24.
• We focused on a set of questions in three main areas.
• That's an area for additional work, I think.

Summary: The House Education Committee received status updates on career and technical education (CTE), including OSPI’s work under 2024 legislation on allied health pathways and a statewide CTE task force, an update from Core Plus Maritime, and findings from an Education Northwest longitudinal study of Washington CTE access and outcomes. OSPI described development of allied health guidance such as a home care aide to nursing assistant bridge, model curricula, updated course equivalency frameworks, and coordination with health agencies and employers. It also reviewed Core Plus framework work, task force expansion under later legislation, and the timeline for recommendations due in November 2026. Committee members asked about health profession outreach, equitable access for rural districts, data updates, and employer support for local programs; OSPI said it continues to work with agency and industry partners and that local labor-market alignment varies by region. Core Plus Maritime presenters described expanding maritime career exploration into middle school through low-cost ROV curriculum, student visits to ferries and vessels, Sea Scouts partnerships, and ship-based safety and welding experiences. Industry representatives from the Northwest Marine Trade Association, American Seafoods, and Vigor Marine Group emphasized the maritime sector’s economic importance, aging workforce, and need for hands-on training to build the pipeline for family-wage jobs. A teacher from South Kitsap High School said the program gives students a clear pathway and has helped connect them to careers in shipyards, fishing, and related trades. Vigor also noted support for a student welding competition and equipment donations for a Rainier Beach shop. Dr. Sam Riggs of Education Northwest presented a longitudinal study using state data from 2013-14 through 2023-24. The study found CTE access has been relatively steady statewide, but offerings vary by school size, locale, and income, with rural and lower-income schools generally offering fewer pathways. Participation is high: nearly all students earn at least some CTE credit, and more students are accumulating multiple credits over time, though fewer go deep within a single pathway. Students who earned more CTE credits, especially within pathways such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and construction, were more likely to graduate on time and later had stronger postsecondary certificate attainment and earnings. Riggs recommended addressing local barriers to participation, considering whether the CTE graduation requirement should better encourage depth while preserving flexibility, and aligning offerings more closely with labor-market needs. Committee members asked about COVID-era trends, student motivation, early workforce entry, delivery settings such as skill centers, and how to interpret the comparison groups used in the analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go to issue number five, to the California Workforce Development Board.
• Workforce Development Board, hi. Feel free to introduce yourself and begin when you're ready.
• Joelle Ball, I'm the chief deputy for the California Workforce Development Board. Hopefully.
• Jewel Ball, I'm the chief deputy for the California Workforce Development Board.
• A question for the Department of Finance regarding the Labor and Workforce Development Fund.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration held a May Revise hearing focused on state administration proposals, with the chair noting no actions would be taken and all items would remain open. The committee heard presentations on a range of budget proposals, including technical adjustments for the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement and the California Workforce Development Board, security and election-related funding for the Secretary of State, modernization and loan-backfill requests for the Department of Consumer Affairs, and multiple Employment Development Department updates covering EDD Next, UI and DI/PFL benefit estimates, workforce funding, and an EMT training reappropriation. Several items drew discussion from the LAO and committee members. The LAO generally supported technical or modernization items such as PERB’s implementation requests, GoServe’s College Corps adjustment, the Secretary of State’s security and HAVA grant items, and the Board of Pharmacy modernization proposal, but raised concerns about the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s proposed $10 million General Fund backfill and interest-free loan language. For EDD, the LAO flagged the size of the DI/PFL benefit adjustment and the unusual structure of the document management system proposal within EDD Next, while EDD said the changes reflected higher participation and benefit levels after SB 951 and ongoing modernization needs. The Department of Industrial Relations drew the most extensive questioning. It proposed funding for legal unit reclassifications, EAMS and Cal/OSHA data modernization, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COYA reappropriation, and trailer bill changes requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and adjusting the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board timeline. Members pressed DIR on high vacancy rates, long wage theft and workers’ compensation backlogs, low collection rates for fines, and the need for clearer workload and outcome measures. DIR said the requests were intended to improve efficiency, support audits and corrective action plans, and better address emerging workplace risks, while the LAO said the workload drivers behind delays remain unclear. The hearing also included support for CalHR’s employee assistance program consolidation and CDT’s proposal to expand “Poppy,” a statewide generative AI assistant for state employees.

Transcript Highlights:

• > ensure of Workforce Development um to ensure of Workforce Development um to ensure that<00:07:35.879
• > looking Workforce Development first and looking Workforce Development first and looking at<00:17
• I am the senior director of the Sanaa Foundation's Workforce Development, or human development, as we
• from both Workforce Development Fund and general fund.
• from both Workforce Development funding from both Workforce Development Fund<01:27:41.000> and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows the State Housing Tax Credit to also be combined with the Minnesota Workforce Housing Development
• The income guidelines continue for the Workforce Housing Development Program, and it allows both of those
• Workforce Housing Development Program. Workforce Housing Development Program.
• Pairing the state housing tax credit with the greater Minnesota workforce development program is a smart
• with the greater Minnesota workforce with the greater Minnesota workforce development<01:03:54.320

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So what about the workforce?
• And six, protect the workforce.
• Go out into the workforce.
• Development Division.
• 50 business partners with which we collaborate on large-scale, complex education workforce development

Summary: The hearing focused first on how wildfires and other disasters affect child care providers, families, and early education infrastructure. State officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Education described disaster response and preparedness efforts, including shelter coordination, licensing outreach, emergency waivers, distribution of supplies, and the statewide child care disaster plan. Testimony from providers and advocates emphasized major gaps in recovery funding, insurance coverage, rebuilding support, mental health services, and coordination with local rebuild plans. Several witnesses urged more dedicated disaster-recovery funding for child care facilities and suggested statutory changes, including allowing greater flexibility for rebuilding costs and requiring early childhood programs to be included in local disaster planning. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on child care. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said enforcement activity is causing families to keep children home, disrupting continuity of care, reducing enrollment, and creating fear and trauma for children and providers. They argued that immigrant and mixed-status families need clearer protections, privacy safeguards, legal support, trauma-informed guidance, and safe-haven policies for child care settings. Speakers also stressed that the child care workforce is heavily immigrant and that recent state laws such as AB 49 and AB 495 will require funding, training, and technical assistance to implement effectively. Public commenters, including child care providers, described personal experiences with fire damage, displacement, permit delays, lost income, and the emotional toll of serving families during crises. Others described how immigration enforcement has made parents afraid to attend events, drop off children, or remain connected to providers. Committee members repeatedly noted that child care is often overlooked in emergencies and asked state officials how child care systems are being integrated into disaster planning and how local and state agencies can better coordinate. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you look at it holistically with regional areas, we are definitely seeing the Suncoast area region
• So as they are creating the capacity within their areas and and then they're looking to.
• The second component is a workforce internship experience.
• After completing the workforce education and professional development curriculum, the next step is securing
• And that's supporting, so it created the development of the program.

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs received three presentations and took no bill votes. The Department of Children and Families gave an extensive update on human trafficking prevention and services, describing Florida’s statutory framework, hotline and investigation data, placement options such as safe houses and safe foster homes, new adult safe house certification rules, expanded screening tools for vulnerable adults, and prevention efforts including youth-led outreach and training. Members asked about whether current funding is sufficient, how DCF addresses grooming and re-victimization in residential settings, and how long youth typically remain in safe-house placements; DCF said funding is only one part of the support system, that families and youth receive prevention resources even when allegations are not substantiated, and that placement length varies by child. OPPAGA then presented its 2024 annual report on commercial sexual exploitation of children. The report found that verified CSE victims slightly declined in 2023, with Broward, Miami-Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, and Escambia among the highest-prevalence counties. Most verified victims were community youth rather than children already in care, though dependent youth had higher rates of prior maltreatment. OPPAGA also reported continued concerns about limited placement capacity, especially for less restrictive Tier 1 safe houses, and service gaps such as the need for survivor mentors. Its recommendations focused on expanding placement options, improving data collection, and strengthening collaboration to support survivor mentors. Finally, DCF presented the Step into Success pilot program for current and former foster youth ages 16 to 26. The program combines workforce education, professional development, and paid internships with mentor support; the first cohort launched in 2024 with 15 participants, all of whom secured placements, and the department reported strong satisfaction and early outcomes. Committee members asked about scalability, costs, and whether the model could be moved beyond DCF-run operations into community-based providers. DCF said the program was designed to be scalable, currently costs about $500,000 annually for the pilot, and could be expanded statewide with additional funding and partner support. The committee adjourned after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• and more than 19,000 developers here in Florida.
• The fourth recommendation would be in the area of workforce development, so incentivizing public-private
• By modernizing procurement frameworks and rethinking workforce development, this committee can create
• By modernizing procurement frameworks, rethinking workforce development, this committee can create an
• We believe that our technology can help augment the workforce.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and automation in Florida government. Panelists from Worldwide Technology, OpenAI, the James Madison Institute, and the Florida Digital Service described AI as a tool to improve efficiency, constituent services, fraud detection, translation, HR workflows, public safety, and regulatory review, while emphasizing that AI should supplement rather than replace workers. They also stressed the importance of data readiness, workforce training, governance, and having existing technology systems and policies in place before broader deployment. Members asked about public records concerns, vendor vetting, model integrity, and how to balance innovation with privacy and security. Chief Schoonover said agencies are already using or exploring AI in areas such as Medicaid analysis, environmental data, emergency management, tax forms, and child support, and noted that the Digital Service publishes prohibited vendor and application lists. OpenAI discussed its red teaming, safety evaluations, privacy controls, and government products such as ChatGPT Gov, and said it does not train on personal data or target users with ads. The committee also discussed concrete examples of efficiency gains, including reduced call times, faster translation turnaround, and streamlined HR classification work, as well as concerns about job disruption and constituent access. In closing, members raised data center infrastructure and energy needs, with panelists noting that AI depends on substantial compute, power, cooling, and utility capacity. The chair concluded by encouraging continued dialogue and noting that future AI legislation should be targeted to specific problems rather than overly broad.

Transcript Highlights:

• > due the Workforce Development Fund and due the Workforce Development Fund and due to<00:02:47.720
• I'm the Adult Services director with Workforce Development Incorporated, serving southeastern Minnesota
• <00:03:52.599> Development director with Workforce Development director with Workforce Development
• um my my journey with the Workforce um my my journey with the Workforce Development<00:08:31.520
• <00:15:00.920> Development thank you so Workforce Development thank you so Workforce Development

Keywords: 1183, house