Transcript Highlights:

• going to take Next, we're going to take up tab 20, SB 7016, on OGSR, administration of small business loan
• reports held by an economic development agency for the purpose of administering a state or federally funded
• small business loan program.
• the answer is opening the door to allow faith-based batterers' intervention programs to be a client-funded
• To be a client-funded option that we have available in our neighborhoods and in our communities.

Bills: S0062, S0156, S0168, S0288, S0290, S0292, S0296, S0298, S0364, S0386, S0624, S7004, S7006, S7008, S7012, S7014, S7016

Keywords: candidate qualification, political party, voter registration, election law, Florida Statutes, rural electric cooperatives, energy production, Florida law, energy tariffs, regulation, agriculture, landscape equipment, gasoline-powered, ecologically significant parcels, local government regulations, public records, appellate courts, information exemption, safety, personal identifying information

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with a quorum present and considered a long agenda of bills, many of which were reported favorably. Early action included CS for SB 62 on candidate qualification, which would create an enforcement mechanism for party-affiliation qualification requirements, and CS for SB 156, the Officer Jason Raynor Act, which would clarify resistance-to-officer language and add mandatory life imprisonment for manslaughter committed against a law enforcement officer. SB 156 drew strong support from the City of Daytona Beach and law enforcement groups, while the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers opposed parts of the bill, arguing it removed useful limits on force and imposed overly rigid sentencing. The committee also approved several open-government sunset review bills, including measures extending exemptions for social media platform investigations, small business loan program records, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles investigatory records, emergency shelter recipient information, Department of Military Affairs records, conviction integrity unit reinvestigation information, Public Service Commission records and meetings, and Florida Gaming Control Commission records and meetings. The committee also advanced CS for SB 624, allowing batterers’ intervention programs to offer optional faith-based activities, with supporters saying faith-based counseling can help reduce domestic violence and no participant would be required to take part. Other approved measures included HB 167 on former phosphate mining lands, which limits certain liability claims if notice and survey requirements are met; CS for SB 48 on housing, which requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units and was amended to remove hearing and variance requirements and clarify local ordinance obligations; SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, described as a negotiated glitch bill preserving co-op authority over generation and power purchases; and CS for SB 364 on public accountancy, which creates additional CPA licensure pathways and mobility provisions. The committee also approved SB 292 creating a public records exemption for appellate court clerks and their families, despite some opposition votes. Later, the committee passed CS for SB 296 and CS for SB 298, which expand protections for victims of domestic violence and dating violence by creating a feasibility study for a secure web-based 911 alert platform and extending address confidentiality and public records protections to dating violence, stalking, and aggravated stalking victims. SB 386 on farm equipment, described as a “lemon law” for tractors and similar equipment, also passed. Additional open-government bills were approved for emergency shelter recipients, military affairs records, conviction integrity unit materials, PSC records, and gaming commission records. SB 168 on public nuisances was reported favorably as well. One bill, CS for CS for SB 290 on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, was temporarily postponed after extensive stakeholder testimony; the chair allowed public comment but no vote was taken, and the sponsor indicated ongoing discussions and possible changes. At the end of the meeting, senators recorded several individual votes for the record, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• action, the comptroller shall deposit the sum of the collected money into the state's General Revenue Fund
• These penalties include withholding a city's sales tax and denying access. to state grant funding like
• We encourage them to spend, and keeping that funding in the coffers is essential. of the state while
• Would losing this much of your funding for the pendency of a lawsuit threaten your ability to pay for
• Whatever that means under this bill, then that money goes to the state's general fund.

Bills: HB5691, SB427, SB2623, SB2858

Keywords: municipal management district, bonds, assessments, property taxes, economic development, eminent domain, special district, SB 427, local government, political subdivision, state loan, state grant, financial reporting, annual financial statement, annual report, county report, municipal finance, water district, municipality, county auditor

Transcript Highlights:

• No, no, they can apply for loan assistance. ...they can apply for loan assistance, you know, but they
• this to reward these student loans.
• We take advantage of the federal funding for Medicare benefits, and so we do it through a product, the
• But... to draw down more federal funding.
• We need to use technology to solve that issue, and we may have to fund some of that down the road.

Bills: HB315, HB152, HB205, SB184, SB209, HB309, SB280, SB267

Keywords: sales tax, local exemption, Consumer Price Index, tax holiday, clothing tax exemption, school supplies, sales tax exemption, baby supplies, baby formula, maternity clothing, menstrual hygiene products, use tax, exemption, tax conformity, tangible personal property, Alabama Department of Revenue, retail tax, consumer use tax, nonresident, religious publications

Transcript Highlights:

• subdivision 47.20, subdivision 4a that governs the maximum interest rate charged for conventional loans
• I think we'll have a substantive change on how folks are buying loan products, but it's just allowing
• usury law, and that you realize that's a maximum that can be charged for any kind of consumer-based loan
• , like an auto loan, unsecured loan, or credit cards and different things.
• When it's entity to consumer, the consumer is at a disadvantage, and so that's where the loans that are

Bills: HF2601, HF2607, HF2027, HF2608

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• The special fund is waived, and the ICA is required to prepare and file a notice of public information
• dated February 16th at 10:51 a.m. removes the waiver of a payment made in accordance with the special fund
• Can I just ask, where do you get your funding for your organization, NetChoice?

Bills: SB1176, SB1186, SB1235, SB1286, SB1446, SB1458, SB1515, SB1616, SB1641, SB1668, SB1670, SB1678, SB1747, SB1787

Keywords: stormwater, water storage, replenishment credits, groundwater, aquifer, Arizona Revised Statutes, disclosure, state contracts, procurement records, donations, transparency, EMS, reciprocity, interstate compact, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, licensure, public safety, military personnel, veterinary telemedicine

Transcript Highlights:

• Since 1987, the Support Fund has provided funds to match private contributions and establish permanent
• I've always been curious about the endowment funds.
• The matching funds are placed with the private funds, and the corpus cannot be invaded.
• and maintain the purpose of the funds at those university systems that receive the funds.
• They're already funded. By whom? By the state? A non-existent board is already funded by the state?

Bills: HB818, HB1063, SB28, SB64, SB142, SB234, SB482

Keywords: higher education, accountability, curriculum review, faculty governance, disciplinary procedures, SB 28, Act 233, associate educator program, associate teachers, teacher certification, alternative teacher pathway, education workforce, teacher shortage, minimum age, age requirement, Louisiana schools, Title 17, R.S. 17:7.8, educator pipeline, teacher recruitment

Transcript Highlights:

• fund?
• Fund them.
• Water State Revolving Loan Fund.
• Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. And so they all have their little separate purposes.
• Martinez, with these projects typically being 100% funded from state funds, or... ...being 100% funded

Bills: SB154, SB187, SB193, SM3

Keywords: insurance, wildfire, flood damage, natural disasters, property coverage, water projects, appropriation, New Mexico, finance authority, infrastructure, New Mexico Finance Authority, funding, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 187, the Water Project Fund. SB 187, the Water Project Fund?
• Fund?
• Water State Revolving Loan Fund.
• Water State Revolving Loan Fund.
• , and uses funds already within the New Mexico Irrigation Works Construction Fund.

Bills: SB154, SB187, SB193, SM3

Keywords: insurance, wildfire, flood damage, natural disasters, property coverage, water projects, appropriation, New Mexico, finance authority, infrastructure, New Mexico Finance Authority, funding, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law

Summary: The Senate Conservation Committee first took up Senate Memorial 3, presented by Senator O’Malley on behalf of Senator Bergman and a group of Rio Doso High School students and Wild Friends. The memorial asks state agencies to participate in a no-cost workshop on insect identification, ecology, monitoring, and management, and to help educate the public about insects. Students, conservation specialists, and an entomologist testified that insects are essential to pollination, ecosystems, agriculture, and biodiversity, while also noting declining insect populations and the need for more public understanding. Some senators raised concerns about the memorial’s wording, including whether it should be broadened from insects to arthropods and whether the Department of Agriculture, rather than Game and Fish, should be involved. The committee discussed timing and implementation, and the sponsor agreed to work on amendments. The memorial passed on a due pass motion by a vote of 8-0, with one excused. The committee then heard Senate Bill 154, which would require wildfire-related homeowners coverage to include flood damage caused by post-fire conditions for a five-year period. Senator Duhigg and the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance argued the bill responds to the Ruidoso fires and subsequent flooding, noting that many homes were destroyed by mudslides and that flood insurance is often unavailable or inadequate. Supporters, including Ruidoso officials, affected residents, and attorneys, said the bill would help homeowners recover from cascading wildfire and flood losses. Opponents from the insurance industry and business groups warned the bill would be an outlier, could significantly raise premiums, and might reduce availability of homeowners insurance statewide. Committee members questioned how the mandate would work, whether it should be optional, and how costs would be allocated. The bill passed on a 5-4 vote. Finally, the committee briefly heard Senate Bill 187, which appropriates $202,000 from the general fund to the New Mexico Finance Authority’s Water Project Fund for future water projects authorized by the legislature. The Finance Authority said the funding would help address a gap between available money and the 113 recommended projects, totaling about $522 million, including water conservation, flood prevention, storage, wastewater, and watershed projects. Members asked for more detail on the locations and types of projects, and the Finance Authority said it would provide the list from the companion authorization bill. The committee then moved the bill forward on a do pass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• One, we want to fund the members.
• They're mostly federal funds.
• </c> funds.
• Um the federal funds are on line funds.
• I'll start on line 133: net general fund. The PUC has $3.8 million of general fund spending.

Bills: HF2438

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• funding for Metro Transit.
• fund.
• The amendment retains the bridge funding that's in the bill but changes the funding source to the Met
• Council's active transportation fund.
• available in the fund.

Bills: HF2438

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• funding for Metro Transit.
• fund.
• available in the fund.
• available in the fund.
• Uh that fund is dedicated to fund.

Bills: HF2438

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:05.680><c> changes,</c> because of these funding changes, because of these funding changes
• </c> transportation dollars are being funded. transportation dollars are being funded.
• that fund isn't used, it all goes back to the highway user tax fund.
• So, distribution fund. So, I'd ask fund. So, distribution fund.
• </c> is funded across the state for everyone. is funded across the state for everyone.

Bills: HF2438

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can see that they're funded by General Fund, State Airports Fund, and Trunk Highway Fund.
• Fund appropriation.
• revenue fund.
• So this is from the General Fund to the Trunk Highway Fund.
• </c> allocation of searchcharge funds. allocation of searchcharge funds.

Bills: HF2438

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• It's called the Line Fund, and the line is Linking Industry to Nursing Education.
• This competitive grant program provides matching funds.
• proposed another $30 million for this Line Fund pot, so we're not extending funds or asking for funds
• 30 million for this line fund pot so we're not extending funds or asking for funds we're just asking
• Action Fund.

Bills: S0194, S1246

Keywords: Charlie Kirk, remembrance, free speech, civic engagement, youth leadership, nursing shortage, health care, education funding, workforce development, LINE Fund, monetary contributions, nonmonetary contributions

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary met with a quorum and first considered SB 1246, which would expand Florida’s Line Fund for health service workforce shortages. Senator Davis explained that the bill would broaden eligibility beyond nursing to include health science education programs and students, allow matching funds from private contributions, and permit use of funds for scholarships, faculty recruitment, equipment, simulation centers, and facility renovations. Senator Harrell asked for more specificity about which professions would qualify, and Davis said the bill was intended to add flexibility but could be made more concrete. Several witnesses supported the bill, and the committee reported SB 1246 favorably without additional funding being requested. The committee then took up SB 194, which would designate October 14 as Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance. Senator Martin said the bill would recognize Kirk’s influence on civic engagement, youth leadership, and constitutional education without creating a state holiday. The bill drew both support and opposition from public speakers, with supporters emphasizing Kirk’s advocacy for free speech and unborn children, and opponents arguing that his public statements on race, civil rights, and Black leaders made him an inappropriate figure for state honor. Members also debated whether statute was the right vehicle for such recognition and whether the bill could encourage future requests for similar commemorations. A late-filed amendment by Senator Jones would have added George Floyd to the remembrance language, framing the issue as selective remembrance and pointing to Floyd’s death as another national reckoning. Senator Martin opposed the amendment as unfriendly, and it failed on a roll call vote. The committee then debated SB 194 at length, with supporters describing Kirk as a defender of open debate and opponents saying the bill would legitimize divisive rhetoric. The committee ultimately reported SB 194 favorably, with Senators Berman, Harrell, and Jones voting no, Senator Rodriguez and Chair Simon voting yes, and Chair Calatayud casting the deciding favorable vote. The committee then adjourned after a motion to record Tab 2 in the affirmative was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• use of this fund.
• some off, if you will, to a water fund.
• The fund, absent appropriations from the fund, will continue to grow based on the investment earnings
• So if I just do simple math, we funded the Water Development Board's Swift Fund this year at $2.5 billion
• So there are stimulus funds and then there are certain federal funds that are actually tied to economic

Bills: SJR4, SJR 4

Keywords: economic stabilization fund, state finance, constitutional amendment, budget management, financial security, term limits, state offices, governor, lieutenant governor, election reform, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We really need to recognize that the state needs to fully fund this to an appropriate level, because
• This is not State General Fund money.
• No impact to the State General Fund. No, sir. Okay.
• The actual fund is for payment of cleanup sites for the state.
• Any money over that $6 million rolls into our ETF fund and then it pays for staff and stuff.

Bills: HB27, HB143, HB205, HB308, HB311, HB417, HB430, HB562, HB812, HB1129

Keywords: inmates, department of public safety, per diem, local correctional facilities, jail funding, insurance premiums, Municipal Fire and Police, dedicated fund, assessments, Louisiana legislation, hazardous waste, cleanup fund, environmental protection, state treasury, Consumer Price Index, law enforcement, firefighters, health insurance, survivors benefits, Lafayette

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:07.640><c> to</c> have had to rely on student loans to have had to rely on student loans to
• </c> 1933 to provide relief for student loan 1933 to provide relief for student loan borrowers<00:05:
• </c><00:14:43.759><c> are</c> the freeway landfill These funds are the freeway landfill These funds are
• </c> costs continue to increase and funding costs continue to increase and funding fall<00:20:24.120>
• </c><00:24:40.880><c> the</c> that go to the environmental fund the that go to the environmental fund

Bills: HF1359, HF1829, HF290, HF1933, HF926

Keywords: solid waste management, resource management account, environmental fund, taxation, Minnesota statutes, homestead, property tax, classification, disability, resort properties, recreational use, commercial property, tax refund, estimated tax, interest on refunds, income tax, corporate franchise tax, S corporation, partnership, corporation

Transcript Highlights:

• , which is what funds the MFP.
• , which does fund the MFP.
• , which does fund the MFP.
• So who's going to come up with the funding? I'm sorry, who funds this?
• the fund.

Bills: HB165, HB175, HB198, HB272, HB457, HB488, HB566, HB603, HB763, HB902, HB909, HB971, HB981, HB1066, HB1125, HB1154, HB1231

Keywords: HB165, lottery proceeds, Lottery Proceeds Fund, Veterans Service Grant Fund, constitutional amendment, veterans, military veterans, veterans' benefits, veterans services, family support, state lottery, education funding, Minimum Foundation Program, problem gambling, compulsive gaming, state treasurer, ballot proposition, constitutional referendum, lottery revenue, Louisiana resident veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• Under duties, it provides that training funds are supplemental.

Bills: SB147, SB414, HB220, HB750, HB799, HB827, HB952, HB953

Keywords: roof standards, construction code, residential property, fortified roofs, insurance, medical debt, interest rate, healthcare services, consumer protection, debt collection, Louisiana Medical Debt Protection Act, child exploitation, online reporting, platforms, cyber crime, PROTECT Act, automatic renewal, cancellation policy, subscription service, transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• We created a fund called the New Mexico Capital Fund for big infrastructure projects.
• We combined other state funds. We combined capital funds. And we combined capital funds. Bonds.
• We combined other state funds. We combined capital funds and got to the total of $547 million.
• And so you're telling me it's already been funded a little bit right now, or not funded at all?
• What is a total all for funds out of this trust fund issue? Madam Chair, Senator Scott.

Bills: SB5, SB6, SB8

Keywords: physician residency, healthcare, rural communities, medical education, appropriation, education, medical school, New Mexico, construction, behavioral health, funding, mental health services, general fund transfer, 996, all