Transcript Highlights:

• exorbitant salary of the FCADV executive director, and a subsequent federal investigation and state audit
• There were a lot of relationships that had been fractured, and it was a very slow process to rebuild
• relationships and reputation of this organization, which we are still in process of doing.
• So we are in that training process.
• We go through a lot of audits, and we're We go through a lot of compliance.

Summary: The committee held a panel discussion on Florida’s domestic violence system, focusing on how state and federally funded services are coordinated, the role of the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence (FPEDV), the Florida Domestic Violence Collaborative, DCF, and certified domestic violence centers. Members reviewed the post-2020 restructuring after the dissolution of FCADV, the current hotline, legal services, training, and technical assistance contracts, and the Legislature’s recent work on lethality assessments under SB 1224. Panelists also described prevention, shelter, counseling, child advocacy, and legal support services, along with the statewide network of 41 certified centers serving all 67 counties. Testimony highlighted both collaboration and tension. FPEDV and Women in Distress described overlapping training and technical assistance roles, but FPEDV said its relationship with DCF has been difficult and at times obstructive, while DCF said communication and coordination are ongoing. Women in Distress and other providers emphasized the importance of direct services, the statewide hotline, injunction assistance, child welfare co-located advocates, and prevention programs. Several members asked about funding flows, certification, and whether the current structure is sufficient for rural counties; witnesses said federal FVPSA funds are formula-based, DCF contracts directly with centers, and rural programs face staffing and fundraising challenges that limit beds and services. A major portion of the discussion centered on the lethality assessment work group and implementation of the new statewide tool. FDLE explained that the work group concluded the Maryland model was copyrighted and costly to replicate exactly, so Florida adopted a statutory assessment that is not evidence-based in the same way, with training available online and 46 of about 400 law enforcement agencies having completed it so far. Senators raised concerns about multiple assessments, redacted police reports, and whether the tool will be useful without better coordination and data collection. Witnesses also discussed rising domestic violence, teen dating violence, and strangulation cases, with providers reporting increased demand, full shelters, and greater use of hotels and mobile crisis responses. No formal votes or actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunity to have a presidential library here in the state of Florida, and I want to make that process
• Finally, the bill provides a process for CRAs to address any outstanding bond debt for bonds that do
• And, you know, and I did take a look at some of the audits that came out.
• One is the audit.
• way of addressing those audit issues.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/HB 69, which would preempt local land-use decisions for presidential libraries to the state. The sponsor said the bill was intended to make it easier to site a presidential library in Florida. Members asked about whether the bill could affect nontraditional uses such as hotels or casinos, and the sponsor said it only addressed land-use and development-order decisions. There was no public testimony, and the bill was reported favorably 16-7. The committee then took up CS/HB 289, “Lucy's Law,” on boating safety. The bill expands boating education requirements, aligns boating penalties more closely with driving offenses, prohibits false information in vessel accident reports, and requires certain nonresidents to obtain boating safety cards. An amendment requiring boating safety courses for those convicted of civil boating infractions was adopted. The committee heard emotional testimony from Lucy Fernandez’s mother, who described the fatal 2022 boating crash that inspired the bill, along with support from industry and local-government witnesses. Members from both parties spoke in favor, emphasizing accountability, education, and enforcement. The bill passed unanimously, 25-0. HB 7003, an open-government/sunshine bill, preserved a public-records exemption for sensitive business information submitted with applications to the Office of Financial Regulation’s financial technology sandbox. It drew no public testimony or debate and was reported favorably. HB 4007, a local bill for Martin County, capped reimbursement for inmate emergency health care at 110% of Medicare, mirroring the Department of Corrections standard; it also passed favorably after supportive public testimony. The longest discussion was on HB 991, which would prohibit creation of new community redevelopment agencies after July 1, 2025, bar current CRAs from starting new projects or issuing new debt after October 1, 2025, and sunset existing CRAs by 2045 or their charter date, whichever is earlier. The sponsor argued CRAs have become long-lived funding vehicles used beyond their original anti-blight purpose and said local governments have other tools. Many members from both parties objected that CRAs remain important for affordable housing, small business support, infrastructure, and redevelopment in blighted areas, and several said the bill would harm ongoing or multi-phase projects. Three amendments were offered: one defining “new project,” one striking the new-CRA prohibition, and one striking the new-debt/new-project language; all were defeated except the first, which was adopted. Public testimony was split, with redevelopment groups, cities, and the Florida League of Cities opposing the bill and Americans for Prosperity supporting it. The committee did not reach final disposition in the portion provided, but the debate showed substantial opposition and concern about the bill’s impact on local redevelopment efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• making process for sure. making process for sure. Okay.<01:16:03.600> Other Okay.
• and then our our process. and then our our process. Further<04:16:40.560> questions?
• process anyways. More than likely. Okay. process anyways. More than likely. Okay.
• The governor's version had it last in the process. It's frontloading it in the process.
• It's it is moving it's process.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee reviewed a handout comparing House Bill 2 to current retirement law and walked through the bill section by section with staff from the retirement system. The discussion focused on vesting, earnable compensation, average final compensation, compensation-over-base limits, special duty pay, normal retirement age, re-retirement, and maximum benefit rules for Group 2/Tier B members. Staff explained that some provisions would restore pre-2011 rules, including counting certain end-of-career payments such as unused sick and vacation time in earnable compensation and reducing the AFC averaging period from five years back to three. They also described how the bill would eliminate the current cap on compensation over base, which mainly affects overtime, and noted that the actuarial cost of the AFC-related changes is interrelated rather than easily broken out by feature. A separate discussion covered the special duty pay limitation, which currently applies to Tier A and would be removed under the governor’s bill for both Tier A and Tier B members after their vested buy date. Staff said the actuary estimated that removing the special duty limitation would increase costs by about $13.9 million. Members also asked about the practical difference between overtime and special duty, with staff explaining that special duty generally involves work for a private third party, often police detail work, while overtime depends more on staffing and scheduling. The committee also reviewed the normal retirement age changes for Tier B and the possibility that some members would need to work longer to reach the new vested buy date. Members raised concerns about an ambiguity in the bill that could allow already-retired Tier B members to return to work, then re-retire and claim the higher benefits, or allow vested deferred members to stop working and wait for the new vested buy date. Staff said the governor’s office did not intend to allow that result and requested clarifying language, noting that the bill as drafted does not expressly prohibit it. The committee also discussed part-time and seasonal work after retirement, with staff explaining that such work generally does not restore membership unless the person takes a full-time position requiring enrollment. Finally, the committee reviewed the maximum benefit provisions and noted that HB 2 in the current year does not change the maximum benefit date or include the 1.5% annual escalator that had been part of the 2023 proposal, making the current bill more costly than the earlier version.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a very arduous process, and we really want to thank Amy Smith for taking on this task.
• So I would encourage, if you're in the process of training this individual, that you reach out to CID
• We started the process of getting on the priority listing for consideration for this funding.
• So starting with the audit, we're currently in the final stages of the audit.
• It will be a separate process.

Transcript Highlights:

• He is a member of our audit committee as well as our executive committee. He attends regularly.
• So that kind of brings up a question for me regarding questionable audits, which happen all over the
• Then take them and guide them through the process.
• We are pleased to have her lead us through this process.
• ; it would be a better process, I think.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think by um I believe I think I asked during the public hearing, it's like $10,000 per audit.
• can point to in the purchasing process can point to in the purchasing process um<00:11:23.440>
• We clarified the audit-compliant process, referring engineers and architects potentially to our licensing
• <01:39:01.600> compliant Um, we clarified the audit compliant Um, we clarified the audit compliant
• :05.760> and process, uh, referring engineers and process, uh, referring engineers and architects

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a process for them to go through that I don't think the process exists for a reason, and if we
• want to focus on anything, we should maybe audit that process but not eliminate it totally.
• for them to go denied. there's a process for them to go through<00:12:42.399> um<00:12:42.880
• not maybe audit that process but not maybe audit that process but not eliminate<00:12:51.839>
• There is a process to allow competition into these radiuses, and this process was negotiated, and there

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you have set up in your law a dual regulation process.
• We did have an audit that came up.
• That process can be either with a bond.
• So is that no longer a normal thought process, according to these studies?
• So is that no longer a normal thought process, according to these normal thought process according to

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• Did human review process?
• One is, you know, by building in not pilot process to your solicitation process, right?
• You intake process.
• What does that process look like?
• and the governance process to allow for it.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have new builds in process.
• So we do have an internal due process.
• And I appreciate, I understand the. post-report processing, right?
• But the process in place previously was the problem.
• and intentionality to audit that so.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's introductions, processes, procedures, but then we also have a presentation from the LESC.
• General processes, when someone is present...
• As your staff member in the legislature, I have no ability to audit that data.
• So one of the challenges we have again is that inability to audit that income data.
• This bill would add superintendents to the licensure process.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is to move it from a three-year to a one-year process. Correct.
• That the process you described, which is a complaint process, that it's not all that frequently used,
• It's important to understand that these triennial processes.
• process and review that ad hoc at any point in time.
• We're required to be transparent about all these processes, put them online.

Bills: HB139

Keywords: ad valorem tax, tax rates, voter-approval, taxing unit, property tax, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, you know, with two audits that I've looked through and done, Unfortunately, you know,
• These are never easy decisions, And I know how emotionally charged and nuanced that process is.
• For these, for these And the path there runs through the executive order process, not around it.
• So it's a different process.
• The amendments negotiated during last year's floor process, many of them have been scaled back.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on worker protections, enforcement, and technology in the workplace. SB 909 would strengthen enforcement of public works prevailing wage laws by raising contractor registration fees and penalties and directing part of penalty revenue back to enforcement; labor groups supported it as a way to deter wage theft, while contractor groups opposed the fee and penalty increases as burdensome and potentially costly for public projects. The committee members generally expressed support for stronger enforcement but also concern about the state’s backlog and capacity to enforce the law. SB 909 passed on a due pass vote and was re-referred to Appropriations. The committee also considered multiple bills addressing AI and workplace rights. SB 951 would require 60-day notice when technology displaces 25 or more workers and would require reporting on AI-related job impacts; labor and education groups supported it, while business, public sector, and industry groups argued it was premature and overbroad. SB 947 would require human review of automated discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and prohibit predictive behavior analysis; supporters said it would prevent algorithmic abuse, while opponents raised concerns about independent contractors, private rights of action, and forum shopping. Both bills advanced on party-line style votes to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee also approved SB 1149, which would expand bereavement leave to cover a “designated person” equivalent to family, with emotional testimony from a witness describing the loss of a long-term partner. Supporters said the bill reflects modern family structures, especially for LGBTQ and older Californians; there was no opposition. SB 1185, applying skilled-and-trained workforce standards to pharmaceutical facility construction, also passed despite opposition from contractors and business groups who said there was no demonstrated safety problem and warned of higher costs and fewer bidders. In addition, the committee approved consent-calendar bills SB 1316, SB 1046, and SB 1059, and left rolls open for absent members before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:03.360> by is followed by an external audit by is followed by an external audit by
• to begin the accreditation process to begin the accreditation process and<00:25:28.960> will<
• process?
• mentioned the your accreditation process mentioned the your accreditation process uh<00:29:50.600
• process itself looked that accreditation process itself looked that for<00:30:29.279> the<00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:52.880> could the proposed statutory process could the proposed statutory process could
• But it is an absolute bear of a process.
• But it is an absolute bear of a process.
• But it is an absolute bear of a process.
• But it is an absolute bear of a process.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 437, which would change New Hampshire law on undischarged mortgages by creating a shorter period after which certain old mortgages would be treated as unenforceable. Prime sponsor Representative Bill Boyd said the bill was developed with input from bankers, lawyers, realtors, the Attorney General’s office, and the Banking Department, and he noted a drafting correction needed on line 18. He explained that the proposal would replace current law with a new framework modeled partly on Massachusetts, including a five-year expiration after a stated maturity date and a 35-year period for mortgages without an expiration date. Supporters said the bill would help clear obsolete title defects, reduce costly quiet-title litigation, and make real estate transactions easier for consumers, attorneys, and conveyancers. Representative Mary Hakken-Phillips, Susan Cole of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, and Michelle Coffin all testified in support, describing the bill as a consumer protection measure. They said undischarged or improperly discharged mortgages often surface during title searches, causing delays, legal expenses, and failed or delayed closings. Coffin and Hakken-Phillips emphasized that many of these cases involve old, effectively obsolete mortgages and that the current process often requires expensive court action even when no one contests the title. Cole described a recent transaction in which a title defect caused a buyer to walk away and later restart the financing process, creating costs for both buyer and seller. A committee member asked about notice to mortgage holders; the response was that the lender bears responsibility for recording and extending the mortgage, and that due process rights would remain if a lender later contested the discharge. Ryan Hill of the New Hampshire Bankers Association said the banking industry had reviewed the bill and was generally comfortable with it, while requesting a delayed effective date so members would have time to adjust their recording practices. He said the bill’s January 1, 2028 effective date reflected that request. After closing the hearing on HB 437, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 721, the Gold and Silver Legal Tender Act. Representative Juliet Harvey-Bolia introduced it as a bipartisan economic justice bill intended to recognize gold and silver as legal tender, protect against inflation, and address concerns about trust, taxes, and government taking. She argued that gold is a stable store of value and discussed tax treatment in neighboring states, federal history, and digital gold platforms. The hearing on HB 721 was still in progress when the transcript ended, with the chair limiting questions because of time.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you have set up in your law a dual regulation process.
• We did have an audit that came up.
• A couple of things that I notice, one is punitive and one is process, right?
• A couple of things that I notice, one is punitive and one is process, right?
• So is that no longer a normal thought process, according to these "Normal thought process according to

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This outlines the complaint and investigation process.
• This process is used to aid us in processing our responses to verified complaints.
• process is pretty straightforward.
• ADA process.
• We just know the process you need to have, and the interactive process needs to continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, an audit, U.S. audit, and one-to-one backed by U.S. Treasuries.
• process and more openness than it exists today.
• How will you approach an exclusion process?
• for an exclusion process.
• How would you work to ensure that we have sufficient processing capabilities in this country?

Transcript Highlights:

• If, in a sample audit, the issue was not present in the sample we audited and years later another audit
• So, for example, consider a... couple different sample audits um it couple different sample audits um
• and present in the sample we audited and present in the sample we audited and years<00:21:49.320
• <00:29:06.919> in when it comes to normal audits in when it comes to normal audits in general
• rigorous standards uh on these Audits rigorous standards uh on these Audits and<00:38:22.400>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Tax Committee first approved the minutes from the previous meeting and then took up Senate File 11 at the request of the Judiciary Committee. The bill was removed from the table, recommended to pass, and referred to Judiciary. Members explained that the request was tied to data practices language in the bill and Judiciary’s jurisdiction over that subject. The committee then heard Senate File 268, as amended by the A1 amendment. Senator Nelson said the bill would extend a sales tax exemption for certain physician-prescribed, non-durable medical goods to publicly and privately held health plans, aligning them with treatment already given to Medicare, Medicaid, and other government-paid plans. Testifiers from Corner Home Medical and the industry said current tax rules are confusing, audits are burdensome and expensive, and providers often end up paying tax themselves because insurers do not pay retroactively. They argued the bill would reduce administrative burden and create parity in the tax code. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and laid the bill over. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 88, also amended by an A1 technical change. Senator Klein said the bill is intended to prevent the Department of Revenue from issuing retroactive assessments when taxpayers relied in good faith on prior audit guidance, so long as there was no material change in law, court interpretation, federal adjustment, or written notice from the commissioner. Department of Revenue staff said they had no formal position but explained how the bill would affect sample audits and noted it would require more detailed written guidance; they said normal audits would not change much. Supporters from the CPA Society and several senators said the bill would provide certainty and protect taxpayers from unexpected back taxes, while one senator questioned whether the bill was needed and whether it would bypass settlement or litigation. The bill was laid over after discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a fluid process as our campuses strive to meet employers’ needs.
• Is it like in the application process? Can you kind of give me some more details?
• Is it like in the application process? Can you kind of give me some more details?
• <01:24:33.360> and about 7% of our allocation process and about 7% of our allocation process
• The allocation process.

Keywords: 1183, house