Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File 2, legislative budget. Thank you. There are amendments. French? I. I. Guru? I. I.
• federal level, and especially on balancing the budget amendments.
• balancing the budget amendments. balancing the budget amendments.
• about the balanced budget. about the balanced budget.
• amendment in second reading amendment amendment in second reading amendment number<00:52:51.120>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...of the state budget.
• Because we budget not just on a one-year basis, as you've noted in this chart, we budget...
• I'm not presenting the Republican budget. He's presenting the governor's budget.
• help fund the budget.
• A balanced budget is important.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee met to review the governor’s fiscal 2027 budget presentation, with the chair repeatedly asking members to keep questions brief and avoid speeches. The discussion focused first on the overall revenue and spending outlook, including concerns from members that the executive forecast was more optimistic than the JLBC baseline and that the budget appeared to front-load revenue and expenditure growth. The governor’s budget team said the forecast was close to JLBC’s, that the budget was structurally balanced, and that differences were roughly $100 million per year on ongoing revenue. Members asked for follow-up calculations in writing, including the total multi-year gap and the amount of revenue enhancements above base revenues. A major portion of the meeting centered on tax and fee proposals tied to data centers, water use, and sports betting. The governor’s team defended eliminating the existing data center tax incentive as the removal of a loophole rather than a new tax, arguing the incentive had already succeeded in attracting major investment. They also described a proposed Department of Water Resources fee-setting authority for data centers to support a new Colorado River Protection Fund, and said the proposal would apply to existing and future facilities without a grandfather clause. Members raised concerns about fairness, competitiveness, and whether the changes would require a supermajority vote. The team also discussed increased sports betting fees, saying the revenue forecast did not include dynamic behavioral effects. The committee then moved through major spending areas, including corrections, public safety, border security, cybersecurity, K-12 education, Medicaid, and developmental disabilities. The governor’s budget includes ongoing funding to prevent correctional officer pay cuts, money to comply with prison health care court orders, probation funding, body-worn cameras, law enforcement staffing, fentanyl task forces, and cyber readiness grants. Members questioned the lack of funding for a prison oversight committee and asked for corrections spending totals over the administration. On border security, the executive said it was seeking about $759.7 million in federal reimbursement for border-related costs and that the governor had met with federal officials, including Secretary Noem and Tom Homan, about the request. In education, the budget proposes renewing Prop. 123, adding K-12 base funding, and issuing $1.5 billion in school facilities bonds over three years; members debated whether the proposal was appropriate and whether Prop. 123 revenues could support the debt service. The meeting also covered AHCCCS cost growth and federal HR1 impacts, with the executive warning of major coverage losses and hospital funding reductions, and DDD funding, where the governor’s team said the budget fully funds services and includes about $120 million in supplemental needs. No votes were taken; the meeting was a presentation and question-and-answer session only.

Transcript Highlights:

• all the budget requests we just heard. all the budget requests we just heard.
• This is our current base budgets.
• Chair, I do have an amendment. I'd like to move the A3 amendment, if I may, please.
• we have already passed that amendment. we have already passed that amendment.
• The bill is already amended. The bill is already amended.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have an A1 amendment. I will present our move the A1 amendment.
• access to budgets?
• That's how we defined the budget, or kind of drafted the budget around.
• against the budget.
• against the budget.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our section on the bill begins on your amendment. Thank you very much for your amendment.
• Thank you for the amendment.
• Thank you for the amendment.
• The amendment will take that out.
• Chair, there's one amendment. The five-page amendment in your name. Mr.

Bills: HB2091, HB2140, HB2320, HB2384, HB2398, HB2502, HB2780, HB2918, HB2939, HB2950, HB2999, HB4020, HB4026, HB4029

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, school districts, bonds, financial advisors, elections, municipal advisors, cost of borrowing, lease agreements, school property, tax exemptions, impact aid revenue bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• . amendment. amendment.
• So that is the amendment. Senator Westlin: I support the amendment.
• amendment is not adopted. amendment is not adopted. Other<00:49:02.960> amendments.
• , as an amendment to Senate File 3096, which is our budget bill, and make any necessary technical corrections
• to<01:01:23.520> Senate as amended as an amendment to Senate as amended as an amendment to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any further questions on the amendment? Seeing none, is there public testimony on the amendment?
• Debate on the amendment. Representative G. Lombardo, you're recognized to close on the amendment.
• All in favor of the amendment say yay. All opposed, nay. The amendment is adopted.
• We are back on the bill as amended.
• The amendment is adopted. We are back on the bill as amended public testimony on the bill.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1183, by Rep. G. Lombardo, as amended by a strike-all. The bill would provide liability protection for local governments and private-sector entities that substantially comply with certain cybersecurity practices, including multi-factor authentication, disaster recovery plans, and related policies and procedures. Rep. Lombardo said the measure is intended to create incentives for better cybersecurity and to limit class-action exposure after incidents, while still allowing suits where negligence can be shown. Supporters included TechNet, the Florida Justice Reform Institute, the Florida League of Cities, Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Association of Counties, and Dr. Edward Long of the James Madison Institute; Vice Chair Steele, Rep. Blanco, and Rep. McFarland also spoke in favor. Ranking Member Bracy Davis opposed the bill, saying she was not comfortable granting liability protections to entities that may have contributed to breaches and questioning whether substantial compliance would be self-attested. The amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably by a 14-2 vote. After the vote, the committee shifted into an extended discussion about Florida’s state IT governance structure, procurement, and project management. Members criticized the current federated model as fragmented and lacking clear accountability, with repeated references to long-running problems such as cost overruns, weak vendor oversight, workforce shortages, and the troubled I-Connect system. Several members argued that the state needs a single accountable leader or stronger enterprise authority over agency technology decisions. Ranking Member Bracy Davis raised concerns about the impact of broken systems on vulnerable populations and asked about the role of advisory councils. Rep. G. Lombardo, Vice Chair Steele, Rep. Miller, and Rep. Groh all emphasized the need for centralized leadership, better alignment of authority and budget, and more disciplined procurement and integration practices. A public witness, Victoria Zep of Team 180, testified in support of a more enterprise-wide approach and said the private sector also wants more organization and transparency. She criticized short procurement timelines, limited competition, and poorly written scopes, and urged the state to post procurements more openly and seek broader vendor input. She also discussed the need to respect agency-specific federal requirements while still improving statewide coordination. The chair closed by asking members to bring forward ideas for immediate and long-term reforms, including review of Senate Bill 7026, and the meeting adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just wanted to obviously note that we have a budget deficit right now.
• To allocate in the budget procedures to address important priorities.
• The Chair is recommending an aye vote with amendments. AB 1675, Lee.
• The motion is due pass as amended to the Appropriations Committee.
• The motion is due pass as amended to the Committee on Appropriations.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and setting a floor, saying we're not going to allow a Senate to pass a budget — you know, budget cuts
• AND SETTING A FLOOR SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW A SENATE TO PASS A BUDGET -- YOU KNOW, BUDGET CUTS
• Saying their model says in 2035—nine budget years from now, 10 budget years from now—30% of all U.S.
• That's more money than everything in our budget reconciliation.
• Money than everything in our budget reconciliation.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 31, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• amendment.
• amendment.
• It requires tentative budgets and amendments to be posted on a county's website several days before a
• Similarly, the timeframe for noticing hearings and posting proposed budget amendments in the Senate bill
• amendment.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of the day’s doctor of the day, an intern, and a resolution honoring the late Bob Graham and firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber also adopted a resolution designating August 9, 2026, as Bob Graham Day. After routine announcements, the Senate moved to the special order calendar and took up a series of bills, many of them with House companion bills substituted in place of Senate versions. The first major floor action was passage of a tax-related bill conforming Florida’s Internal Revenue Code to federal changes while excluding certain provisions from H.R. 1; it passed 34-0. The Senate then considered CS/SB 1758 on public assistance and Medicaid, which proposed stronger fraud enforcement, a Medicaid work requirement for able-bodied adults, expanded behavioral health services, pharmacy and drug rebate reforms, and SNAP fraud reduction measures. A Berman amendment to require Medicaid expansion before work requirements was rejected, as was an Osgood amendment to add photo-ID protections and exemptions for certain SNAP users. The bill remained on the calendar for third reading after extensive debate and questioning about implementation, exemptions, and potential impacts on beneficiaries. The chamber also passed bills on technology education and AI instruction, a Parkinson’s disease registry and related public records exemption, designation of the SS American Victory as Florida’s official flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the sunset on gold and silver legal tender, public records exemptions for financial institutions and custodians, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, local government finance transparency, digital voyeurism, and insurance customer representative licensing. Most of these measures were adopted after brief explanation, minor amendments, or substitution of House companions, with votes generally in favor and several passing unanimously or by wide margins. Later, the Senate took up CS/SB 1756 on medical freedom, which would expand parental vaccine information requirements, add a conscience-based exemption, allow behind-the-counter ivermectin access, and repeal the sunset on the mRNA mandate prohibition. The bill’s first amendments clarified anti-kickback rules for vaccine manufacturers and required informational materials to address risks, benefits, safety, and efficacy; the transcript ends during consideration of this bill, before final passage is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I on this amendment. I on this amendment.
• My amendment says it's going amendment.
• And so, um, this is the same amendment I brought to you on the budget.
• . amended. amended.
• Program Amendments. Program Amendments.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1115 be amended as follows and, as so amended, be referred to the Committee of the Whole with
• Senate bill 117 be amended as following.
• and so amended be referred to follows and so amended be referred to the<00:22:38.720> committee
• > the and as so amended be referred to the and as so amended be referred to the committee<00:22
• 31:27.360> meeting<00:31:27.840> today Budget Committee will be meeting today Budget Committee

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That draft amendment is 2025-2740s.
• <00:18:32.720> budget the intent to stifle um budgets budget the intent to stifle um budgets
• > basically you mentioned an amendment basically you mentioned an amendment basically exempting
• they adopted the exact same amendment. they adopted the exact same amendment.
• <02:07:34.000> that specifically about the amendment that specifically about the amendment

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Summary: The committee of conference first met on Senate Bill 221, which concerned annual voter roll verification and the lookback period for checking voter registration lists. The Senate favored looking back to presidential elections to reduce the number of voters removed, while the House argued for annual verification with a one-year lookback because the voter roll database now makes the process easier and because of population mobility and student turnover. Members discussed possible refinements to the 30-day letter process and agreed to recess and return Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. to continue negotiations. The committee then took up Senate Bill 213 and Senate Bill 218, both involving absentee voting and public employee electioneering restrictions. On SB 213, the discussion focused on clarifying identification/documentation requirements for absentee ballot-related applications and on a House amendment to preserve the ability of certain public employees to provide factual information to the public about official matters without violating the bill. On SB 218, the Senate wanted to remove outer envelopes from absentee voting materials, while the House supported keeping the bill but clarifying that only applicable documentation is required. Members raised concerns about voter access, clerks’ procedures, and whether the electioneering language was too broad; both bills were held over and recessed for further work. The committee also considered Senate Bill 287, which dealt with public employee electioneering and a related carve-out for factual responses by appointed public employees. The House and Senate discussed combining amendments, but the House member said the underlying bill was needed to curb partisan electioneering while still allowing factual public information. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 118, which would adjust a personal needs allowance for nursing home residents, address Hampstead Hospital employee bonuses, and create a maintenance fund for the hospital. The Senate objected to a House-added cannabis cultivation provision, saying it was unrelated to the bill and could jeopardize the measure because of the Senate’s and governor’s opposition to cannabis language; the committee recessed to revisit the issue later, with the House noting the base bill’s importance to nursing home residents and Hampstead Hospital.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there debate on the amendment? Senator Harrell waives closed on the amendment.
• The amendment is adopted. Let's take up amendments. No, no, show the amendment is adopted.
• These are pretty technical amendments. Questions on this amendment? At FSU.
• These are pretty technical amendments. Questions on this amendment?
• The amendment is adopted. We are now back on the bill as timely amended.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met with a quorum present and considered three items. First, it heard and passed SB 158, which eliminates cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations under the state employee health plan. Senator Berman described the bill as a way to remove financial barriers to early breast cancer detection, and several senators spoke in strong support, emphasizing the importance of follow-up screening and the life- and cost-saving value of early diagnosis. The bill was reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then took up SPB 7024, a committee bill on state planning and budgeting. Senator Brodeur explained that the proposal modernizes and simplifies the state agency long-range planning process by focusing on key data points, removing stale measures, and improving how plans are presented to the Legislature. Senator Berman supported the bill, highlighting new provisions on implementation status and budget consequences if enacted laws are not carried out. The committee voted to submit the proposal as a committee bill and reported it favorably. Finally, the committee considered SPB 7026, a major overhaul of state information technology governance. Senator Harrell described a transition from the current Florida Digital Service structure to a new cabinet-level Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology (ASSET), with enterprise-wide standards, interoperability, procurement oversight, cybersecurity coordination, technical debt tracking, a testing laboratory, workforce development, and annual IT expenditure reporting. Members raised questions about procurement authority, judicial branch inclusion, existing contracts, cybersecurity, and staffing; Harrell said agencies would retain final procurement decisions but would have to follow enterprise standards, the courts were not included, existing contracts would continue, and the bill would add significant state IT staffing. Several amendments were adopted, including changes on CIO selection conflicts, removal of the Northwest Regional Data Center from a definition, reporting on deviations from standards, and technical updates related to the data center and workforce positions. Public testimony strongly supported the bill as a needed modernization of Florida’s fragmented IT system. The committee then reported SPB 7026 favorably as a committee bill. The meeting adjourned after members recorded their votes on the three items.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senators, we do have a late-filed amendment.
• And that is the amendment, Mr. Chair. Good deal. Senators, your questions on the amendment?
• The amendment revises the section that allows The amendment revises the section that allows the Board
• Are there questions on the amendment?
• Senators, we're in debate on the amendment.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum present and took up several health-related bills. CS/SB 1110, covering Medicaid and insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including activity-specific devices without lifetime or continuous-use caps, received emotional testimony from families and athletes describing high costs and the importance of access for children and adults with disabilities. Members voiced strong support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 1574, which would add biliary atresia screening to the newborn screening program using the existing birth blood specimen. The sponsor and a parent testified that earlier detection could prevent severe liver damage, transplants, and deaths, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 794, dealing with background screening for employees at residential facilities and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities and a review of waiver support coordination, was amended to align with the House companion and then reported favorably after testimony emphasizing the importance of strong support coordinators for APD waiver families. Members then considered SB 162, requiring hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies for smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. Nurses and other supporters described surgical smoke as a serious occupational hazard, while the Florida Hospital Association said hospitals are already regulated in this area and the bill was somewhat prescriptive; an amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 254, which tightens oversight of nursing education programs, adds preceptorship and provisional licensure pathways for graduates awaiting NCLEX results, and increases transparency and accountability for low-performing programs, drew support from nursing advocates and opposition from private nursing schools concerned about workforce impacts; after amendment, it was reported favorably. Finally, SB 688 to reestablish licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors in Florida was heard with testimony both supporting expanded health care choices and opposing the bill over safety and scope concerns, and it too was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Herewith returned as amended by the Senate, in which amendments the concurrence of the House is respectfully
• And although the ag budget is a pretty small piece of the overall state budget, this bill is going to
• There is an amendment at the desk; the clerk will report the amendment.
• I recognize the author of the amendment, Representative Scott. who will explain the amendment.
• Third reading: Senate File number 571 as amended. Further discussion on the bill as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill that we're amending. bill that we're amending.
• amendment you're looking at. amendment you're looking at.
• We’ve been able to work on an amendment and have an amendment come back.
• as part of the whole budget process. as part of the whole budget process.
• doesn't fit within the budget. doesn't fit within the budget.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee took up HB 1563, a special education aid formula bill, after a brief recess. Members reviewed a replace-all amendment that would keep the current reimbursement lag structure but make the bill effective July 1, 2028, with districts beginning to collect the new data in the next biennium. The amendment changes the reimbursement tiers from a dollar-based system to one tied to average per-pupil spending: districts would pay 100% below 2.5 times average per-pupil spending, 85% from 2.5 to 3.5 times, 20% from 3.5 to 10 times, and 10% above 10 times, with the state covering the remainder. Speakers emphasized that the bill is intended as an incremental step to gather better data before any larger expansion of state participation. A major new section would create a risk-based monitoring program for reimbursement claims. Instead of reviewing every claim individually, the department would review at least 20% of districts each year so every district is reviewed at least once every five years, with additional random or targeted reviews based on risk indicators, anomalies, prior findings, or other department criteria. Members discussed whether the audit sample should be district-based or student-based, and whether the bill should more specifically define the type of audit and the meaning of “other” criteria. Department witnesses said the current process already involves confidential information and that the new approach would not worsen privacy concerns; they also said the department would follow federal and state privacy laws and adopt rules to implement the process. Several members supported the bill as a practical first step to improve data collection and eventually expand aid, noting that districts currently do not track lower-cost special education students well. Others raised concerns about the lack of a fiscal note, possible local costs, and whether the new monitoring language gives the department too much discretion. The discussion ended with no vote taken in the excerpt, and members indicated they may need more time to review the final amendment before proceeding.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:39.440> Session<00:19:39.840> amended<00:19:40.240> as Legislature Budget
• Session amended as Legislature Budget Session amended as follows. follows. follows.
• amendment again. amendment again.
• Discussion on the amendment. amendment. amendment. Any<00:44:06.240> questions?
• Discussion on the amendment. amendment. amendment.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, let's take the A1 amendment.
• Uh, let's take the A1 amendment.
• We do have the motion for the author's amendment, the A1 amendment.
• So, my question is about the author's amendment.
• dollar budget hole in our general fund. dollar budget hole in our general fund.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• education budget bill to the policy and education budget bill to the calendar<00:00:48.559> for
• And amendments offered to those bills.
• uh motion to amend the calendar. uh motion to amend the calendar.
• <00:03:03.360> by uh calendar for the day as amended by uh calendar for the day as amended
• All those in favor please say amended.

Keywords: 1183, house