Transcript Highlights:

• See, all this is mitigation and rehabilitation. Now, would you hire me?
• Number four, evidence of mitigation and rehabilitation. I got degrees. I've been home 30 years.
• This is mitigation. Number five, whether the applicant was a juvenile at the time.
• This is mitigation. Number five, whether the applicant was a juvenile at the time.
• That is an average of 12, but sometimes mitigating circumstances could be fewer.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first disposed of several measures without debate, including deferrals of House Bill 460, House Bill 561, Senate Bill 322, and another deferred Senate measure, before taking up House Bill 819 by Chairman Cruz. HB 819 would replace Louisiana’s current workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule with ODG by MCG, a private evidence-based guideline system used in other states. Cruz and Troy Prevo argued ODG is more comprehensive, updated more frequently, and could reduce claim duration, medical costs, and premium rates; Dr. Jason Picard said Louisiana already uses ODG as a secondary reference for gaps in the state schedule and that the bill would not change appeals or variance procedures. Opponents, including injured-worker advocates Joseph Jola St. and Robin Crumholt, argued Louisiana’s current guidelines are working, that ODG is more cost-cutting and insurer-driven, and that the bill could increase denials and delay care. Members discussed amendments to add a two-year sunset, allow tacit approval when treatment follows the schedule, require payment within 30 days, and raise the carrier’s burden to challenge care; the committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 819 favorably by a 7-6 vote. The committee then began Senate Bill 409 by Senator Myers, the Louisiana Living Donor Leave Protection Act. The bill would provide paid leave protections for living organ donors, set eligibility and verification procedures, and prohibit forfeiture of leave in certain circumstances for private employers. Myers said the measure is intended to remove job and paycheck barriers for people willing to donate organs and to support better transplant outcomes. Technical amendments were adopted at the start of the presentation, and the bill was introduced for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Officer Mueller said that global shocks are inevitable, and we have to do our part as a state to mitigate
• California is not going to mitigate those global shocks.
• So we aren't going to be able to mitigate the price of crude oil with any policies.
• Especially when we had short-term supply disruption, and then used a collected mitigation fee for the
• They also have the mandate to mitigate environmental and economic leakage.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on California’s petroleum supply and price volatility amid the Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Committee members and administration witnesses focused first on short-term supply conditions: the California Energy Commission said crude and refined-product imports were still arriving at healthy levels, West Coast inventories were generally adequate, and there was no expected near-term supply shortfall, though diesel inventories were tighter than gasoline or jet fuel. Officials said California’s reliance on imports has grown as in-state refining capacity has declined, and they described ongoing work to track import flows, inventories, refinery outages, and pricing. The Division of Petroleum Market Oversight said the conflict was driving real price increases, but also highlighted California’s persistent branded-gasoline premium and unusually wide station-to-station price dispersion. DPMO reported that some major-brand stations were charging far above the statewide average, that several outlier stations reduced prices after contact from the division, and that investigations and subpoenas were ongoing. Professor Severin Borenstein argued that while crude oil is a global price driver, much of California’s higher retail price gap is a downstream “mystery gasoline surcharge,” not explained by crude costs alone, and he said the state should focus on imports, port and storage capacity, and competition rather than expecting refinery subsidies or an E15 blend to solve the problem. Industry and labor witnesses took different positions on the causes and solutions. The Western States Petroleum Association said state policy had weakened California’s refining system, making it more dependent on long, fragile supply chains and vulnerable to global shocks, and urged the state to protect remaining refining capacity and reduce regulatory burdens. United Steelworkers Local 675 emphasized that refinery reliability and staffing matter for market stability. Members pressed witnesses on whether California should set fuel-supply targets, how to prepare beyond the next six weeks, whether more import dependence increases risk, and what additional data or authority the state needs. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This provides funding for oyster propagation and replenishment projects that mitigate the effects of
• propagation and replenishment projects propagation and replenishment projects that<00:10:38.040> mitigate
• <00:10:38.520> the<00:10:38.640> effects that mitigate the effects that mitigate the
• <00:26:11.080> the<00:26:11.200> impacts<00:26:11.840> on efforts to mitigate
• the impacts on efforts to mitigate the impacts on Marylanders<00:26:12.520> who<00:26:12.680>

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 16, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened on Monday, March 16th, with an invocation focused on safety during storms, support for first responders, and recognition of Women’s History Month. A quorum was present, and the President noted the chamber was preparing for a very busy week, with possible double sessions and a Saturday session if needed. The House message on House Bill 297, concerning adult education and high school diploma pathways, was received and referred to the appropriate standing committees. The chamber then took up several committee reports, mostly adopting committee amendments and favorable reports without objection. Among the bills advanced to third reading were SB 85 on use of Information Technology Investment Fund revenues, SB 520 on public safety spending flexibility in charter counties, SB 558 creating a Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program, SB 641 on procurement exceptions for historic preservation services, SB 647 establishing a catastrophic disability benefit tier for certain law enforcement retirement members, SB 654 raising the State Police mandatory retirement age to 62 and adjusting DROP rules, and SB 668 on Children’s Cabinet funding for local management boards. SB 756, a Baltimore City PILOT/tax exemption bill for a Downtown Rise District project, was also advanced. Several bills were special ordered to allow time for amendments or further discussion. SB 334 on machine gun convertible pistols was special ordered to the next day after members said amendments were not ready. SB 309, concerning a statewide sales and use tax exemption for precious metal bullion or coins, was also special ordered for the next day so members could add co-sponsors. SB 818 on State Center development contract requirements and an advisory group was special ordered to the appropriate time the next day after discussion of its community input and federal-law compliance provisions. The Budget and Taxation Committee then reported on the fiscal 2027 operating budget, SB 282, and the budget reconciliation and financing act, SB 284. The committee chair said the budget left a $250 million cash surplus and $2.2 billion in the rainy day fund, kept general fund spending below the current year, imposed no tax or fee increases, and funded priorities including behavioral health in schools, child care scholarships, local government disparity grants, nursing homes, developmental disabilities services, public schools, Medicaid, energy assistance, and economic development. Both SB 282 and SB 284, along with their committee amendments, were laid over until the next day for second reading debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that first grant program is a statewide drinking water contamination mitigation program.
• 04.480> contamination wide drinking water contamination wide drinking water contamination mitigation
• 06.600> This<01:03:06.760> is<01:03:06.880> created<01:03:07.200> by mitigation
• This is created by mitigation program.
• <01:10:16.040> pieces project, the statewide mitigation pieces project, the statewide mitigation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• aggravating evidence, but what is the mitigation?
• evidence, whether there's... on their own merits, whether there is mitigating evidence, whether there's
• aggravating evidence, but what is the mitigation?
• what a judge does on a daily basis in terms of calling the balls and strikes, listening to the mitigation
• reasonable, and again, always listening to both sides of the case, always balancing what's the mitigation

Keywords: House Committee Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that mitigated some of the risk of future. liabilities as well.
• We work with those utility operators through the design process to, one, try to do. our best to mitigate
• The last item that we're going to take up today A is water and flood mitigation infrastructure.
• We've been appropriated about $1.4 billion towards flood mitigation projects, and we've been able to
• And that's standard when you look at other states. when you look at federal efforts to mitigate flood

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next, we have the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission. Thank you very much.
• have the much director up next we have the climate<00:01:15.560> change<00:01:16.280> mitigation
• <00:01:17.280> and<00:01:18.040> adaptation climate change mitigation and adaptation
• climate change mitigation and adaptation [Music] commission<00:01:27.119> okay<00:01:27.360><
• And when their expectations aren't met, it's incumbent on us to mitigate this as much as possible.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees on Labor and Technology, Transportation, and Culture and the Arts heard testimony on Senate Bill 396 and Senate Bill 47, then later the Labor and Technology committee took up Senate Bill 136 and Senate Bill 1523. SB 396 drew support from the Metropolitan Planning Organization and others, with a question raised about implementation costs; the director said costs would depend on the scope of the benefit package and the transportation mode involved. The committees recommended passing SB 396 with technical amendments and added appropriation language with a blank amount, and the motion was adopted by recorded votes in both committees. SB 47, which would designate the Lunar New Year as a state holiday, received support from the Office of Collective Bargaining and several individuals, including Charlene Chun, who spoke about family traditions and cultural recognition. Members asked about the cost and whether the day would be a paid day off for state employees; the response was that observance would be subject to collective bargaining. The committees moved SB 47 forward with amendments, noting the collective bargaining and cost issues, and adopted the recommendation by vote. In the Labor and Technology committee, SB 136 on the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund drew strong support from iron workers and related supporters, who argued the bill was about safety, training, and keeping dismantling work within the ironworkers’ trade. Several other unions, including operating engineers, carpenters, laborers, and plumbers and fitters, opposed the bill as too broad and potentially infringing on their jurisdiction. The measure was not decided in the portion provided, but members discussed possible amendments and jurisdictional concerns. SB 1523, which would expand private-sector collective bargaining rights under the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and others under NLRB jurisdiction, received broad labor support, including from IATSE, AFL-CIO, Hawaii Nurses Association, Unite Here Local 5, and many individual testifiers. Supporters framed it as protecting workers’ rights and strengthening labor protections, while the Hawaii Labor Relations Board warned it could significantly increase workload and require more staffing, space, and operating resources; the board estimated the bill could expand its caseload substantially and suggested an appropriation would likely be needed. The committee then moved on to the next measure, SB 1440, before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• component in terms of being proactive component in terms of being proactive with<00:42:04.440> mitigation
• as it relates to with mitigation as it relates to biocurity<00:42:07.599> yeah<00:42:07.839><
• have this very massive network, which this bill does seek to create, to come in and do all the mitigations
• 00:48:14.440> um<00:48:14.760> to<00:48:14.960> get<00:48:15.119> to mitigations
• um to get to mitigations um to get to eradication<00:48:16.960> um<00:48:17.880> that<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing focused on a bill reorganizing Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity and invasive species framework, including moving or renaming responsibilities within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and clarifying the role of the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC). Testimony from the Hawaiian Invasive Species Council, DLNR, Oʻahu and Big Island invasive species committees, the Sierra Club, farmers, and community members generally agreed that invasive species management is critical, but many opposed consolidating HISC or broader biosecurity functions into a single department. Supporters of the existing interagency model emphasized HISC’s statewide coordination role, its links to DLNR and other agencies, and its ability to fill gaps with federal funding and cross-agency collaboration. Several testifiers raised concerns that the bill could weaken existing authority or create unintended legal and operational problems. The Sierra Club and others warned about possible interstate commerce issues, loss of authority to regulate movement of infested material within an island, and the need to preserve HISC as an independent or elevated coordinating body rather than placing it inside one agency. Community testimony described real-world impacts from little fire ants, coqui frogs, and landscaping-related introductions, and argued that the current system has produced service gaps and duplication when funding or responsibilities shift. One testifier also urged removing hemp movement reporting provisions, saying they do not aid biosecurity and should be treated like other crops. DLNR and Department of Agriculture representatives said they support the overall goal of stronger biosecurity but stressed that invasive species work is broader than agriculture alone. They noted that DOA, DLNR, and other partners each have different missions and capabilities, and that staff safety, terrain, and training matter when responding in remote areas. The department said it was recruiting for new positions, with some of the 44 funded positions still being finalized, and that implementation would require phased rulemaking, standards, training, and outreach. Members asked about the bill’s practical impact, staffing needs, and whether inspectors are prohibited from hiking; the department said no blanket prohibition exists, but staff use judgment based on safety and terrain. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I think we can adopt some of the measures that the Native Nations have used to help mitigate these
• Um, I think we can adopt some of the measures that the Native Nations have used to help mitigate these
• have the right people at the table to talk that through, to go through the risks, and to try to mitigate
• have the right people at the table to talk that through, to go through the risks, and to try to mitigate
• try to mitigate that as much as possible or<00:21:46.720> even<00:21:46.960> just<00:21

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Hawaiian Affairs briefly met and adjourned after noting that GM 574, a nomination on its agenda, had been withdrawn, leaving the committee with no business to consider. A separate joint hearing of the Senate Committees on Economic Development and Hawaiian Affairs then took up HCR 192, a resolution to convene a tourism and gaming working group. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including representatives from the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Nation of Hawaii, and CARES, said the measure would allow Hawaiians to have a seat at the table, learn from Native nations with gaming experience, and make informed decisions about whether and how gaming should be approached. Some supporters emphasized that the working group was about research and self-determination, not immediate legalization, and suggested the state should focus on broader economic development options as well. Opponents, including the Honolulu prosecuting attorney and several community members and faith leaders, warned that gambling would increase addiction, crime, family breakdown, debt, and exploitation of low-income and vulnerable residents. They argued that online sports betting and other forms of gaming would be especially harmful, with some citing examples from other states and concerns about problem gambling, domestic violence, and illegal activity. Committee members questioned witnesses about the purpose of the working group and whether it could provide enough data to make an informed decision, while supporters and opponents alike acknowledged the need for Hawaiians to be involved in any future discussion. No vote or final action on HCR 192 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• A second benefit is mitigating learning loss and weather disruptions.
• A second benefit is mitigating learning loss and weather disruptions.
• A second benefit is mitigating learning loss and weather disruptions.
• A second benefit is mitigating learning loss and weather disruptions.
• efforts that the pollution mitigation efforts that the pollution control<01:37:02.400> agency

Bills: HF1124, HF1457, HF1803

Keywords: school calendar, education, school year, Labor Day, state law, school construction, landfill, dump site, closed landfill, contaminated site, pollution control agency, school siting, public school, charter school, environmental health, student safety, brownfield, solid waste, waste disposal site, site contamination

Transcript Highlights:

• We mitigate costs several ways.
• We mitigate<00:18:36.440> costs<00:18:36.760> several<00:18:37.040> ways.
• <00:18:37.680> We<00:18:37.840> always mitigate costs several ways.
• We always mitigate costs several ways.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes, and then reviewed a series of administrative regulations from multiple agencies. Most of the regulations were presented as technical updates or policy clarifications, and in each case the committee approved staff-suggested amendments without objection. The Department of Revenue regulation would delete a section on tax credits for trusts and estates to align with statute. The Kentucky Public Pensions Authority package updated definitions, sick leave credit rules, hazardous/non-hazardous employment participation, refund procedures, contribution limits, mortality table references, and incorporated federal tax references. The Board of Medical Licensure regulations addressed renewal and activation of inactive physician-assistant licenses and renewal/reinstatement timelines for athletic trainer licenses. The Fish and Wildlife regulations revised rules for Otter Creek and Peabody areas by deleting definitions and creating shooting-range permit exemptions. The committee also heard emergency vocational rehabilitation regulations that would clarify definitions, due process rights, federal compliance, service fees, in-state service preferences, and service-specific requirements; a workforce insurance regulation updating contribution/reporting rules for professional employer organizations; and a horse racing regulation adding license categories for allied animal health professionals, animal chiropractors, and equine dental providers, while updating fees, application timing, and special events licensing. Members asked questions about the horse racing licensure changes, and the agency explained they were responding to prior session changes and adding guardrails, including veterinarian sign-off for equine therapist licensure on the back side of a racetrack. The Department for Public Health package made several personnel and salary-related changes for local health departments, including salary ranges for new hires, probation and evaluation rules, salary increases after probation, and limits on certain leave payouts for employees who separate without proper notice or are dismissed for cause. The Office of Inspector General regulation added electronic prescription references and removed authority to create a new prescription number for partial dispensing of Schedule II prescriptions. The Department for Medicaid Services regulations updated provider group definitions, removed some service limits, required prior authorization for all genetic testing for non-MCO recipients, changed physician fee schedule updates from quarterly to annually, and added reimbursement for department-approved vaccines. Members asked detailed questions about genetic testing prior authorization and sleep disorder coverage; the agency said prior authorization is intended to take two to five days and that sleep disorder services generally involve sleep apnea-related treatments such as CPAP machines and sleep studies. The committee then adjourned and announced its next meeting for Tuesday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• in any of these efforts and more, like public safety, emergency shelters, transportation, flood mitigation
• public safety, emergency shelters, transportation,<00:15:04.000> flood<00:15:04.320> mitigation
• ,<00:15:05.040> school transportation, flood mitigation, school transportation, flood mitigation

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• remarks today will be framed by two distinct but overlapping themes: how alternative proteins might mitigate
• Alternative proteins have the potential to mitigate these threats.
• The efficacy of this mitigation depends on the pace and extent of alternative protein development and
• diverse, resilient food system with increased capacity to provide adequate nutrition for all while mitigating

Summary: The Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation held its first informational hearing to examine the state of alternative protein research, industry growth, and policy needs in California. The chair opened by noting California’s $5 million public investment in UC research in 2022 and framed the hearing around three panels: the climate, environmental, and security potential of alternative proteins; industry scaling and commercialization; and university-led research and workforce development. Members emphasized that the committee will continue with site visits and additional hearings across the state. The first panel focused on the case for alternative proteins as a climate, land, water, biodiversity, and food-security solution. Shana Fertig of the Good Food Institute argued that plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated proteins can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use while helping California meet its climate and conservation goals. Zane Swanson of CSIS added that alternative proteins could reduce risks tied to zoonotic disease, antimicrobial resistance, supply-chain disruption, and broader national security concerns. In questions, members discussed the role of pharmaceuticals in animal agriculture and how alternative proteins might complement, rather than replace, traditional farming by creating new markets for California crops and helping farmers diversify. The second panel featured industry leaders Ethan Brown of Beyond Meat, Myra Passick of Upside Foods, and Arye Elfenbein of Wildtype. Brown highlighted plant-based meat’s health and climate benefits, criticized misinformation campaigns against the sector, and urged better labeling, reduced subsidies for factory farming, and more plant-based food in public institutions. Passick described cultivated meat as a scalable food-production technology, said Upside Foods has already produced millions of pounds annually at its Emeryville facility, and asked for grants, low-interest loans, and possible participation in cap-and-trade or similar revenue programs. Elfenbein described cultivated seafood as a way to address overfishing, contamination, traceability problems, and the heavy import dependence of the U.S. seafood supply, while also noting conservation benefits and the need for California to remain a hub for the industry. The final panel centered on research and workforce development. UCLA’s Amy Rowat described state-funded work on technical bottlenecks such as growing fat cells and creating edible scaffolds, along with a Future Food Fellows program that trains students across science, engineering, law, and policy. UC Santa Cruz economist Galina Hale argued that alternative proteins are necessary to meet future protein demand while reducing food-system emissions, and said California must support the sector through grants, loans, procurement, and research centers to avoid losing leadership to other states and countries. The hearing ended with the chair thanking the witnesses, noting that all materials would be posted online, and saying the committee would continue building policy and budget proposals to support the sector.

Transcript Highlights:

• The capability to identify them is a lot easier than the capability to mitigate them, but it both exists
• I will push as hard as I can to get the right tool to mitigate them, but it both exists.
• I will push as hard as I can to get the right tool to mitigate them, but it both exists.
• I will push as hard as I can to get the right tool to mitigate them, but it both exists. weapons are

Keywords: Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, border security, asylum, transparency, Hernandez Rojas, migrant treatment, public testimony

Summary: The meeting centered on the nomination of Rodney Scott to serve as the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Throughout the session, various senators expressed concerns regarding CBP's recent practices, including issues related to border security and the treatment of migrants. Questions were raised about Scott's involvement in previous incidents, particularly surrounding the controversial death of Mr. Hernandez Rojas while in custody, which sparked a heated discussion about accountability and transparency in current border policies. Senators emphasized the importance of balancing efficient border security with humane treatment of individuals seeking asylum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mitigating or measuring risk, uh, that also brings in competition that also reduces cost.
• offers a solution, ensuring that judges receive structured research-backed training to identify and mitigate
• Our job as operators mitigate these risks in the best of our ability through safety measures, training
• If we could, um, somehow create a barrier to entry into that area, the, yes, we may be able to um mitigate

Transcript Highlights:

• In designing the program structure, the DNR is focusing on risk control and mitigation measures to prevent
• Community Grants Program will build on current DNR best practices in grants management and risk mitigation
• This bill invests in aquatic invasive species prevention and mitigation.
• To beef up the ability to fight the invasive species, mitigation, prevent, as well as then doing a lot

Bills: HF1587, HF2293, HF2218, HF1208, HF1482

Keywords: HF1587, Cass County, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, DNR, condemnation, eminent domain, state land, surplus land, public waters, tribal land transfer, federally recognized Indian Tribe, tribal ownership, land conveyance, no consideration, land appropriation, natural resources, U.S. Highway 2, Section 27 Township 145 North Range 28 West, land return, Tribal sovereignty

Transcript Highlights:

• There are both adaptation and mitigation aspects involved in the projects that the pro tem listed.
• tasked, and they have been since they got the governor, with leading on changing and adaptation, mitigation
• having the ability to help these communities who want to do their own work on climate adaptation and mitigation
• having the ability to help these communities who want to do their own work on climate adaptation and mitigation

Transcript Highlights:

• difficult to backfill all of that, and there need to be a number of strategies to figure out how to mitigate
• the interim: really monitoring this and coming up with strategies to prioritize and find ways to mitigate
• Chairman, that includes the fare as well as mitigation activities. $10 million.
• Yes, these are part of the department's new Medicaid waiver, and a mitigation strategy is to not build

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2023, the rate of those mitigated dispositional departures stood at 42%.
• c><00:05:12.120> rate<00:05:12.479> of<00:05:12.720> those<00:05:13.440> mitigated
• 2023 the rate of those mitigated 2023 the rate of those mitigated dispositional<00:05:15.320>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This can include topics such as hurricane mitigation, autonomous vehicle technology, civic engagement
• Richard Olson from the FIU Center of Excellence for Hurricane Damage Mitigation and Product Development
• we're using various levels of wind force intensity to test all kinds of procedures, protocols, mitigation
• devices, and it is... ...protocols, mitigation devices, and it is, it's bewildering at times because

Summary: The Education Postsecondary Committee held its first meeting and focused on state university centers and institutes, with an overview from the Board of Governors on how the more than 500 centers and institutes across Florida’s public universities are categorized, overseen, and reported. The Board described three categories: state-level centers, legislatively established centers, and university-established centers. Members were told universities must maintain policies, notify the Board of changes, publish public inventories, and submit annual reports and compliance certifications. Senator Harrell asked about funding sources and whether underperforming centers are reviewed for elimination; the response was that funding varies by center and that universities decide whether to maintain or disband centers under their own policies, with annual reporting and audit findings shared with the Board. Four university presentations followed. Florida Atlantic University highlighted its Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology, describing research in marine-derived drug discovery, genomics, imaging, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and ocean sustainability, along with spin-off institutes and partnerships that have generated significant grant and contract support. FIU presented its Center of Excellence for Hurricane Damage Mitigation and Product Development, emphasizing the Wall of Wind facility, hurricane and water intrusion testing, code and product innovation, insurance modeling, and future expansion toward higher wind speeds and flood simulation. Florida State University’s High-Performance Materials Institute described work in advanced materials, aerospace composites, sensors, nanocomposites, and AI-enabled materials development, along with patents, industry partnerships, and new facilities tied to economic development. The University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning outlined its work on teacher professional learning, literacy, New Worlds Reading, tutoring, and mathematics supports, including microcredentials, statewide book distribution, and early results showing improved reading confidence and growth. Members generally praised the centers for their research, commercialization, workforce development, and education impacts. Senator Jones and Senator Harrell commended the Lastinger Center’s literacy work and the broader return on investment from these programs, while Senator Berman noted the value of the synergies across institutions. The chair emphasized that future funding requests should clearly show measurable success, commercialization, and statewide impact. The committee then adjourned without any formal votes on legislation.