Transcript Highlights:

• Health and Human Services includes $18.9 billion of that, 35.5% of the general revenue.
• Chair, and thank you, sir, for your service.
• Thank you for your service. Thank you for your leadership.
• I work through the state agencies to help expedite the process.
• Employees in the service industry.

Summary: The committee met to hear the Governor’s proposed budget for the Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development silo and to consider one bill. The Governor’s Office outlined a $117.4 billion state budget, including $18.3 billion for the TED area, with major allocations for the Department of Transportation, Commerce, Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, State, Military Affairs, Emergency Management, and the Florida State Guard. Agency heads then presented their priorities, including housing and disaster recovery funds at Commerce; pay, vehicles, aviation, and data systems at Highway Safety; facility modernization, recruitment, retention, and maintenance at Military Affairs; election audit, conservation lab, and historic preservation funding at State; transportation, aviation, seaport, and safety investments at DOT; and emergency response, flood mitigation, grant systems, and alerting at Emergency Management. Members asked questions about Visit Florida’s private match, FHP’s role in immigration enforcement and body cameras, National Guard deployment tempo and staffing, State Guard staffing and facilities, arts grant rules, rail funding, and the number of detainees at the Everglades detention site. Several notable positions were expressed during questioning. Visit Florida said it met and exceeded its private match requirement and described the match as important to ensuring value from public dollars. The Highway Patrol said its aviation assets have been used more heavily in immigration enforcement and that in-vehicle camera systems were a higher priority than body cameras at present. The National Guard and State Guard both emphasized heavy operational demands, readiness needs, and the importance of additional funding for facilities, personnel, and equipment. The Department of State said its audit funding would help counties move to automated post-election audits and that its arts grant rule changes were intended to create more consistent scoring rather than reduce access. The committee then took up CS/SB 48 on accessory dwelling units. The bill requires local governments to allow property owners to voluntarily create ADUs, preserves homestead treatment for the primary residence portion, limits parking restrictions, and extends density bonus incentives to housing for military families receiving basic housing allowance. An amendment was adopted removing reusable tenant screening reports and clarifying that compliant ADUs are allowed by right without a separate hearing or permit. Testimony from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supported the bill, especially the long-term rental requirement, as a tool to help workforce housing. The committee reported the bill favorably by a roll call vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires a reduction in permit fees attributable to plans review or building inspection services when
• a private provider is utilized for these services for a commercial construction project.
• Currently, Florida has a mechanism for expedited review of large projects with the sector planning process
• Currently, Florida has a mechanism for expedited review of large projects with the sector planning process

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills. SB 330, by Sen. Bradley, clarified the heart disease presumption for firefighters, law enforcement, and correctional officers, including allowing a prior physical exam to count if a transferring officer is not given a new one; an amendment declaring the act an important state interest was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. SB 594, by Sen. Burton, would make mobile home residents eligible for local housing assistance programs such as SHIP for lot rent and home repairs; it received supportive testimony from manufactured-home advocates and passed favorably. SB 840, by Sen. DeSigley, revised hurricane-related land-use restrictions from prior legislation by shortening the affected area from 100 miles to 50 miles, ending certain temporary limits on June 30, 2026, and exempting some water, flood, and state/federal planning matters; it passed favorably after supportive comments from local-government interests and members noting the need to fix unintended consequences of prior law. The committee also approved SB 526, by Sen. Grawe, which addresses no-damages-for-delay clauses in public construction contracts, creates a uniform commercial permit application, requires permit fee reductions when private providers are used, and adds mitigation to statewide product approval categories. County representatives testified with concerns about the contracting language, unfunded mandates, and fee reductions, but the bill passed favorably. SB 504, by Sen. Burgess, creates a statewide framework for code inspector body camera use, and SB 506, its linked public-records bill, exempts certain sensitive content from disclosure; both passed favorably with support from the sponsor and no opposition in committee. The most heavily debated measure was SB 354, by Chair McLean, which creates a “blue ribbon project” framework for very large developments that trade state preemption over local land-use regulation for reserving at least 60% of the land for conservation, agriculture, recreation, utilities, and related uses. The bill drew significant testimony from environmental groups, counties, smart-growth advocates, and local residents who argued it could weaken local control, reduce public review, and allow sprawl or inadequate infrastructure planning; supporters argued it could help address housing needs and preserve large amounts of land. The committee adopted two amendments clarifying reserve-area easements and requiring certain easements to be granted without charge, and the committee then reported the bill favorably, with some senators noting they supported it in concept but wanted further changes before later stops.

Transcript Highlights:

• reported implementing ongoing review processes of local policies, ordinances, and plan provisions, and expedited
• Most survey respondents reported encouraging mixed-income projects, utilizing expedited permitting, and
• maximizing land resource efficiency through mixed-use projects, one example is to integrate essential services
• activities reported by local governments were promoting and administering affordable housing programs and services

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs held its first meeting and heard presentations focused on affordable housing implementation under the Live Local Act. Florida Housing Finance Corporation described its role in administering rental and homeownership programs, including SAIL, SHIP, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, disaster recovery efforts, supportive housing, and the Live Local funding and tax incentives. Officials said the first year’s $150 million Live Local rental allocation was fully committed to 23 developments producing 3,171 units with mixed-income set-asides, and they outlined how projects were selected through competitive solicitations tied to statutory priorities such as mixed-use development, publicly owned land, foster youth, rural areas of opportunity, redevelopment, and housing near military installations. They also discussed the tax credit contribution program, the missing-middle property tax exemption, sales tax rebates, and the year-one ad valorem exemption for qualifying affordable projects. Members asked detailed questions about the data and program design, including the use of area median income figures, per-unit subsidy levels, county targeting, tenant relocation during redevelopment, and whether the programs were helping lower-income households. Florida Housing said it uses competitive scoring and data from the Schimberg Center and that redevelopment projects are supposed to include tenant relocation plans. The homeownership portion of the presentation covered the Hometown Heroes program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers, with exceptions for active-duty military and veterans. Staff said the program has assisted more than 21,000 families and leveraged over $6.5 billion in first mortgages, and members asked about repayment rates, credit scores, and whether participants were staying in homes long enough to show the program was serving intended buyers. The committee then heard from OPAGA on two required Live Local evaluations: affordable housing strategies in other states and affordable housing policies in Florida. OPAGA reported that Florida has a high share of cost-burdened households, with 1.5 million households cost burdened and 1.4 million severely cost burdened, and that Florida’s counties and municipalities reported more than $1.4 billion in affordable housing expenditures in fiscal year 2023-24. The report identified 13 innovative out-of-state programs, with three considered high-potential for Florida implementation, and summarized Florida local government practices such as SHIP-funded homeownership and rental assistance, expedited permitting, mixed-income zoning, rehabilitation programs, and interlocal cooperation. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, small businesses frequently face unpaid invoices, minor contract breaches, and service disputes
• Despite the high demand for these services, ASL interpreters remain excluded from the same employment
• , as amended, to Human Services.
• AB 1846, Stephanie, as amended, to Human Services; AB 1875, Hart, to the floor; AB 1950, Heribedian,
• In short, this legislation will expedite our implementation of online notarization in California.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• "Services, but we do refer. Okay.
• of providing those services.
• services.
• these services.
• And thank each of you for your service. Thank you, and thank each of you for your service.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health began with a hearing on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California health programs, focusing first on reproductive health state investments. HCAI outlined five state-funded reproductive health programs created after Dobbs, including uncompensated care, practical support, capital and clinical infrastructure, and workforce programs. Essential Access Health and Planned Parenthood testified that these funds have served hundreds of thousands of patients, but warned that the uncompensated care program is fully awarded and needs renewal, and that Title X and Medicaid-related federal uncertainty continues to threaten access. Members questioned who the uncompensated care program serves, why Medi-Cal covers a large share of abortions, and whether Planned Parenthood could expand prenatal services; public commenters urged continued support for reproductive health access. The committee then took up long-term care services and supports, starting with the HCBA and Assisted Living Waiver programs. DHCS reported large wait lists for both programs and said enrollment is limited by workforce and provider capacity, while LAO noted that increasing slots alone may not increase access without additional programmatic changes. Members pressed the department on whether more slots should be added given the lower cost of home- and community-based care compared with skilled nursing facilities, and public testimony argued that the wait lists should be reduced and that staffing concerns do not fully explain unused capacity. The committee also heard testimony on congregate living health facilities, where providers and a patient family described the homes as critical, lower-cost alternatives to nursing facilities for younger, medically complex people. Witnesses requested short-term bridge funding, while DHCS said it is proposing to transition CLFs into a managed care benefit by January 1, 2028, which would remove caps and expand access statewide. The final long-term care topic was PACE. DHCS explained that it has paused new PACE applications and service expansions for at least two years to reassess oversight capacity and develop a statewide strategic growth framework, while existing programs continue operating. CalPACE supported the pause as a planning measure but asked for four additional state nurse positions to reduce delays in level-of-care determinations and speed enrollment for frail older adults. Members shared personal stories about how PACE has helped family members and asked how the state will meet growing demand; DHCS said stakeholder engagement will begin later in the year and that some existing applications already in process will continue. Public commenters broadly supported PACE, HCBA, and CLF funding requests. The hearing then moved to the Department of Health Care Services’ 2026-27 Medi-Cal budget and related trailer bills. DHCS said Medi-Cal spending has grown due to coverage expansions, higher acuity, rising utilization, and especially pharmacy costs, and it described proposals to extend the current skilled nursing facility financing framework for one year while the state develops a new value-based payment strategy. LAO said most recent Medi-Cal spending growth has been driven more by higher per-enrollee costs than by caseload growth, with pharmacy spending growing especially quickly, and recommended better and more timely data to analyze the drivers. Members expressed concern about the rapid rise in Medi-Cal spending and asked for more detail on the largest cost increases.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your service. But the 250th anniversary of American independence.
• Thank you for your service and all you do to help Idahoans commemorate America 250 in Idaho.
• Idaho's integration into the national story accelerated after the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled
• Idaho's integration into the national story accelerated after the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled
• That was no small thing in public service.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, for instance, what expedited me bringing it to the forefront is students that were taking HVAC
• know either having the have be paying a less you know either having the burden of paying for those services
• While in Arizona we don't have a large number, and even the Arizona Department of Health Services has
• One year of tuition equals one year of service. One year of tuition equals one year of service.
• If the service is not fulfilled, there's a clawback.

Committee: Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several education-related bills. SB 1572, the Return to Civics Instruction Act, would require Freedom Week, civics instruction on the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and a Declaration recitation for grades 3-12; it passed 3-2 after some members argued schools already provide civics instruction and that the legislature should not mandate curriculum. SB 1798, as amended, would require each high school to designate a FAFSA point person, post contact information, and implement a FAFSA awareness strategy; the Arizona Board of Regents supported it, while some members raised concerns about mandates on charter schools and staffing burdens. The committee also passed SB 1711, which directs the State Board of Education to develop and post age-appropriate resources on preventing and recognizing inappropriate contact, with testimony split between support for parent-accessible safety materials and concerns about sex-education compliance issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> public for these services. Thank you. public for these services. Thank you.
• , EIDBI, or autism services.
• service contract.
• service contract.
• service contract.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She said she is the assistant superintendent of business and administrative services for the Moorhead
• for the Morhead administrative services for the Morhead Area<00:23:34.320><c> Public</c><00:23:34.520
• </c><00:26:11.600><c> as</c><00:26:11.720><c> well</c><00:26:11.880><c> as</c> not getting Services as
• well as not getting Services as well as contributes<00:26:12.600><c> to</c><00:26:12.919><c> burnout
• does that how does that work if service does that how does that work if it's<00:57:31.000><c> a</c><

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• are two other provisions: a clarification around the pre-application conference, and an effort to expedite
• the bill also clarifies the pre-application conference by seeking clear outcomes, and it aims to expedite
• we drastically updated the transportation element of the GMA, adding safety, multimodal level of service
• we drastically updated the transportation element of the GMA, adding safety, multimodal level of service
• And this competes with that and might actually. multimodal level of service and other things and this

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee heard several land use and infrastructure bills. SB 5633 on subdivision of land drew the most discussion: staff described a broad rewrite that would move many subdivision decisions from legislative bodies to administrative personnel, limit or eliminate public hearings for preliminary plats, require notice to nearby landowners, set completeness and 100-day decision timelines, and streamline concurrent review of related permits. Builders, Realtors, and some cities supported the bill as a long-overdue modernization that could reduce delays and housing costs, while county and city representatives raised concerns about eliminating public hearings, implementation details, and local accountability. The committee also heard SB 6274 on street standards and frontage improvements, which would require jurisdictions to identify infrastructure barriers to infill and middle housing and periodically review street and frontage standards; supporters said frontage mandates can make housing infeasible, while local government witnesses warned about conflicts with safety, ADA, and transportation goals. SB 6309 on high-capacity transit permits would let Sound Transit apply for permits before acquiring property and before some land use decisions, and would allow certain development agreements and subdivision exemptions to speed transit delivery; Sound Transit and city representatives supported it, and the committee waived the five-day notice rule to hear it. The committee also took testimony on SB 6279, which would incorporate the wildland-urban interface code into the state building code after statewide wildfire maps are completed and require state and local coordination on defensible space and local amendments. Supporters framed it as needed wildfire resilience planning, while opponents from counties, builders, environmental groups, and local officials argued the bill was premature, too rigid, and potentially inconsistent with environmental laws, local conditions, and insurance realities; several asked for more local flexibility, clearer map processes, and changes to the timing and scope of adoption. SB 6291 would extend from two to four years the period during which local health jurisdiction staff may inspect on-site wastewater systems under supervision before certification; public health officials supported it as a workforce and training fix, saying the current timeline is too short and costly. The committee also heard SB 5903, SB 6016, SB 5820, SB 6132, and SB 6189 in executive session, adopted substitutes on some bills, and advanced SB 6016, SB 5820, SB 6132, and SB 6189 out of committee by due-pass votes, with SB 6016 receiving a substitute and a member noting support but remaining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 10 of the bill has a provision for expedited making of administrative rules where all those could
• Section 10 of the bill has a provision for expedited making of administrative rules where all those could

Bills: HB1979

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: environmental review, affordable housing, clean energy, judicial proceedings, public participation, Hawaii Revised Statutes, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee held an AEN hearing on Friday, March 20, in Room 224 with remote participation streamed live. The first measure, HB 1880 HD3, would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2030, the use or application of pesticides containing 1,3-D (Telone). Supporters, including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and HAPA, argued that 1,3-D is a probable carcinogen, can drift off target, and poses risks to farm workers, nearby families, children, and vulnerable communities, while safer alternatives exist. Opponents, including the Western Plant Health Association and Dole Food, said the product is federally registered and regulated, is needed for pineapple production, and that banning it could threaten jobs, local food production, and the pineapple industry; Dole also noted a petition signed by 95 employees opposing the bill. The chair recorded 73 in support, seven opposed, and two comments for the measure. The committee then took up HB 1931 HD2, which would establish a state noxious weed coordinator, update the process for designating and managing noxious weeds, allow public proposals to change designations, require notice and reporting, classify weeds into three categories, and strengthen enforcement and penalties. Testimony was generally supportive, with DLNR and DAB submitting support and CGAPS backing the bill as a modernization of outdated 1950s-era statutes, arguing that more flexible administrative rules would better address changing agricultural and invasive species conditions. The measure received 38 supportive testimonies, with no opposition or comments recorded. Because the committee did not have quorum, no final decision was made on the measures. The chair announced that decision-making would be rolled to Wednesday, March 25, at 3:05 p.m. in Room 224, and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Include several changes, allocating funds from the expedited permit review process to a designated fund
• It just says that those funds coming from, that the industry's paying for the expedited process, those

Bills: SB2122 , SB2050 , HB16

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: oil and gas waste, application fees, permit amendments, environmental regulation, Texas natural resources, battery recycling, battery disposal, consumer batteries, energy storage modules, electrochemical devices, lithium-ion battery, household hazardous waste, solid waste, municipal recycling, waste management, battery stewardship, producer responsibility, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, recycling program

Transcript Highlights:

• Control Board does have a representative on there because we have permitting decisions that will help expedite
• Then coastal wetlands habitat, the services and functions that they provide in terms of the beneficial
• The services and functions that they provide in terms of the beneficial uses like recreation, marine,
• But I think the point is that needing to figure out ways to expedite these projects to get them built
• And the Fish and Wildlife Service did a study in Seal Beach where they assessed one approach, that of

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy focused on infrastructure, pollution, climate resilience, public health, access, and economic impacts of sea level rise in California, with an emphasis on San Diego and the Bay Area. Chair Tasha Boerner Horvath opened by describing the committee’s purpose, the state’s sea level rise action planning, and the need for better monitoring and early warning systems. She also referenced her prior bills AB 66 and AB 72, which supported Scripps research on coastal bluff collapse warning capabilities. Assembly Members David Alvarez and Jessica Caloza later joined and emphasized that sea level rise affects not only coastal communities but inland areas as well, and that the issue should inform future legislative and budget decisions. In the first panel, Dr. Mark Merrifield of Scripps Institution of Oceanography described observed sea level rise of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 feet since the early 1900s, with acceleration expected by mid-century and potentially much greater rise by 2100 depending on emissions. He highlighted flooding, groundwater rise, beach and cliff erosion, salinization, and risks to transportation, sewage, ports, and national security. Dave Gibson of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board discussed how sea level rise affects wastewater systems, stormwater, contaminated sites, wetlands, and coastal groundwater basins, and said the board is requiring climate adaptation planning, updating stormwater permits, and seeking more flexible state permitting and mitigation tools. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better mapping, more monitoring, and more state funding, especially if federal support from NOAA and other agencies declines. The second panel addressed public health, equitable access, and local economies. Ramon Chiras of Un Mar de Colores described how sea level rise, pollution, and access barriers threaten the Tijuana River Valley and Imperial Beach, especially for underserved communities and youth programs that rely on safe, welcoming access to the ocean. He stressed the cultural and spiritual importance of coastal access and the need for water safety and environmental education. Jessica Fane of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission explained that the Bay Area faces major economic exposure from sea level rise, citing a regional estimate of $96 billion in adaptation costs versus $230 billion in potential losses from inaction, and said BCDC is working with local governments under SB 272 on shoreline adaptation planning, funding, and regulatory innovation. Members discussed the tension between environmental permitting and the need to move projects faster, including the possibility of planned retreat in some areas and the use of simultaneous permitting and longer-term state authority to streamline adaptation work. In the final panel, Philip Gibbons of the Port of San Diego described the port’s climate adaptation efforts and its vulnerability assessments under AB 691. He said the port manages state tidelands, supports maritime commerce and recreation, and is already seeing flooding at king tides and during El Niño events, including storm-drain backflow and damage to bikeways and parks. He explained that future sea level rise could inundate major port areas and disrupt operations, underscoring the need for continued planning, mitigation, and infrastructure investment. The hearing did not take formal votes, but it concluded with a clear call for more science, funding, coordination, and regulatory streamlining to prepare California’s coast and nearby communities for worsening sea level rise impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we were discussing this bill, which, thank you so much, of course, for your service and for bringing
• It has no fiscal impact, and it enables CPR to efficiently, transparently, cost-effectively expedite
• HB 909 is seeking for commercial payers to cover behavioral health crisis services.
• And so what's going to happen is some of those specialized services will not be provided in that rural
• emergency services.

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met on May 18, 2026, with eight members present and began by noting the state’s projected REC budget deficit and the need to consider fiscal impacts carefully. The committee first advanced HB 12, which extends the $250,000 surviving spouse benefit to reserve officers killed in the line of duty. Members noted the bill is prospective and that it draws from the same capped fund as other related bills, but it was reported favorable without opposition. The committee also adopted an amendment and reported HB 874 favorable as amended; the bill allows colleges, technical schools, the Louisiana Bar Association, and additional credentials to be added to LA Wallet, with the amendment changing mandatory language to permissive language. HB 951 was then reported favorable, creating an employer-facing workforce unit within Louisiana Works, to be funded through repurposed state and federal funds and existing staff, with a floor amendment expected to rename the unit. The committee also reported HB 979 favorable with amendments after reducing the proposed increase in survivor benefits because members learned several bills were drawing from the same $5 million fund, and HB 1193 favorable as amended, after striking a section that would have extended IDIQ authority to supply contracts for CPR. The committee then heard HB 909, which would require commercial payers to cover behavioral health crisis services. Representative Spell and LDH officials said the measure is intended to support crisis response centers and steer patients away from emergency rooms when appropriate, and they testified that it should be cost-neutral or absorbed within existing funding. Despite concerns raised by Senator Andrews about premiums, the bill was reported favorable after discussion of its potential savings and a possible pilot in Acadiana. HB 222, requiring Medicaid to cover dental procedures when needed to complete another medically covered procedure, was also reported favorable; LDH said it would absorb the cost within its existing budget and draw down federal matching funds. HB 291, which prevents health plans from penalizing hospitals when an out-of-network physician is involved in an otherwise covered hospital service, generated extensive debate over a disputed fiscal note and the No Surprises Act. OGB officials said any network “leakage” could cost the plan money, while supporters argued the policy is preventative and that the fiscal estimates were speculative. The committee adopted amendment 3941 to exempt OGB from the bill, then reported HB 291 favorable as amended. Later, the committee took up HB 145, which expands the authority of the law enforcement and firefighter survivor benefit board to cover extraordinary medical and dental expenses. Because members learned it also draws from the same fund as HB 12 and HB 979, an amendment reduced the amount from $50,000 to $25,000, and the bill was reported favorable as amended. HB 430, a local bill for Lafayette to continue paying health insurance costs for surviving families of fallen officers until Medicare eligibility, was reported favorable. Finally, HB 821, which establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Administration and transfers related duties from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, was introduced and discussed as a move with a one-time general fund expenditure already included in HB 1. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we were discussing this bill, which, thank you so much, of course, for your service and for bringing
• It has no fiscal impact, and it enables CPR to efficiently, transparently, cost-effectively expedite
• HB 909 is seeking for commercial payers to cover behavioral health crisis services.
• And so what's going to happen is some of those specialized services will not be provided in that rural
• emergency services.

Bills: HB12 , HB145 , HB222 , HB291 , HB430 , HB821 , HB874 , HB909 , HB951 , HB979 , HB1193

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: survivor benefits, law enforcement, reserve officer, auxiliary officer, public safety, firefighters, medical expenses, dental expenses, disability benefits, Medicaid, dental coverage, healthcare access, medical necessity, Louisiana Department of Health, health insurance, provider agreements, contracting actions, participating facilities, network status, survivors benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, for instance, what expedited me bringing it to the forefront is students that were taking HVAC
• You know, either having the burden of paying for those services come from because they fill out FAFSA
• What are the doctors ...employees and say, what are the services you want?
• One year of tuition equals one year of service.
• If the service is not fulfilled, there's a clawback.

Bills: SB1004 , SB1424 , SB1497 , SB1507 , SB1572 , SB1684 , SB1711 , SB1741 , SB1754 , SB1763 , SB1798 , SCR1012 , SCR1041 , SCR1051

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Transcript Highlights:

• Trump administration to recognize the critical role of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• How are we in the bill recognizing them for their lifetime of service and adding additional danger and
• End is a more speaking against American Friends Service Committee. You're recognized. >> Thank you.
• I did it for public services, a passion.
• Service Committee Unisa Bell Lawrie waive speaking again representing 6 action Michael Sheedy speaking

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:35.119><c> So</c><00:40:35.680><c> no</c> expedite the process as well.
• So no expedite the process as well.
• Thanks, John, for being here and thanks for your service on SFA.
• </c><00:54:37.200><c> What</c><00:54:37.520><c> what</c><00:54:37.839><c> do</c> for your service on
• What what do for your service on SFA.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education heard several advice-and-consent nominations to the School Facilities Authority. For GM779, Shelley Pa was introduced as a nominee for a term ending June 30, 2029. The Department of Education supported her nomination, citing her large-scale operations and stakeholder-engagement experience. In her testimony, Pa said she retired from community policing, wanted to give back to teachers and students, and believed her strengths were collaboration, listening to community input, and helping balance differing priorities. Committee members questioned her about the construction and infrastructure focus of the board, her lack of direct construction experience, and how she would handle disagreements and budget limits; she responded that she would rely on collaboration, ask questions, and keep decisions centered on students, teachers, and the community while staying within budget. The committee then heard GM777 and GM778 for Robert Davis, with terms ending June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2029. Davis described more than 30 years with the Department of Education, including roles as teacher, coach, counselor, vice principal, principal, and complex area superintendent, and said he had worked on major facilities projects and managed pandemic-era funding. He emphasized communication, transparency, and trust, and explained that his experience on the Early Learning Board helped him understand how to set policy, identify schools for pre-K, and use data and community factors in decision-making. Members asked how he would handle SFA’s growing pains, the need to balance DOE wishes with practical and budgetary limits, and the board’s role when the legislature controls funding; Davis said the board must keep communication open, include the right people, and make sensible decisions that move projects forward without stalling. For GM780, nominee Michael Unbasami was introduced for a term ending June 30, 2029. The Department of Education supported him, highlighting over five decades of public service and experience in facilities management, finance, and legislative affairs. Unbasami said he had recently retired after 31 years as associate vice president for administrative affairs for the community colleges and had extensive experience with facilities planning, construction, renovation, repairs, and working within budgets. He stated that the DOE should be treated as the SFA’s client because it knows student, teacher, and facility needs best, while SFA’s role is to implement construction work and collaborate on priorities. Committee members pressed him on how to balance DOE requests with practical project delivery, especially for teacher housing and other non-classroom needs, and he said the legislature funds the work, SFA must keep projects moving, and the workflow should involve collaboration but also realistic decisions that fit the budget and avoid delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> So, yes, we had a very educational site visit today at some of the key warehouses that service not
• </c> lot of them so that we can expedite lot of them so that we can expedite getting<01:41:44.159><c>
• And I have the highest respect for all of you and thank you for your service to our community. >> So
• </c><01:56:23.280><c> to</c><01:56:23.520><c> our</c> thank you for your service to our thank you for
• your service to our community. community. community.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on hazard mitigation planning and recent tsunami and wildfire threats. Chair Dela Buladi opened by framing the meeting around the need for iterative disaster planning and lessons learned from events such as the Lahaina wildfires, the Puna Coast earthquake/tsunami, and recent wildfire activity. The committee heard first from Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Tomage Magno, who explained the federal and local hazard mitigation planning process, including the requirement for an active five-year mitigation plan to qualify for federal disaster funds. He described the plan as a living document built from prior plans, public and agency outreach, risk and capability assessments, and ongoing updates, with county departments, state agencies, and subject matter experts participating in the process. Magno outlined several FEMA-related mitigation funding programs, including flood mitigation assistance, post-fire assistance, pre-disaster mitigation, revolving loan funds, and dam safety grants. He emphasized that the Hawaii County plan was recently approved by FEMA, that the county council approves the plan, and that the county reviews it annually with a formal revision process beginning in the fourth year. Members asked about how the plan tracks project status, how priorities and funding changes are handled, and whether federal funding programs might be affected by HR1; Magno said the county is proceeding on the assumption that funding will remain available and noted some sources have been reestablished. He also said the county encourages council participation in meetings and planning. Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen then addressed the committee on DOT’s response to a recent tsunami threat, saying the agency had about four hours to prepare before the first wave arrival and was focused on its own operational response rather than the broader statewide planning process. In response to questions, he stated that FHWA funds cannot be used for evacuation routes, which is why prior legislative funding was important. Members also discussed specific mitigation projects such as fire breaks, bridge retrofits, and the Singing Bridge, with DOT noting that work is underway and that a replacement bridge upstream is being planned to carry traffic during repairs. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1072 establishes the expedited DNA testing grant program within FDLE.
• Services does.
• We want to make sure these children are getting the very best services.
• And thank you for your service, Senator Rouson.
• The location must be registered with the local emergency medical service director.

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and others. Senators also observed a moment of silence for Pope Francis. After routine announcements, the chamber moved to the special order calendar and took up a long series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate bills before final passage. Among the measures approved were bills creating an expedited DNA testing grant program for local law enforcement, adding aggravating factors in capital cases involving gatherings for religious, school, or government activities, requiring state health coverage for fertility preservation services for cancer patients, authorizing indemnification for commuter rail providers, prohibiting abandonment of migrant vessels in Florida waters, and creating new specialty license plates. The Senate also passed bills on Alzheimer’s awareness, relocating the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University, charter schools, sex offender registration, utility worker protections, juvenile justice, student mental health reporting, foster home licensure transfers, water access facilities, Florida Virtual School, school readiness, sexual images involving children, tampering with electronic monitoring devices, certified recovery residences, the FSU Election Law Center, the Office of Faith and Community, and bonuses for county property appraiser employees. Several other bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, officers injured in the line of duty, school social workers, and Brownfields. Debate was especially extensive on the Office of Faith and Community bill, where an amendment to bar political activity by office staff was offered but failed 13-23 after arguments over election-related communications and the scope of existing law. The certified recovery residences bill also drew notable debate, with supporters emphasizing housing as essential to recovery and opponents raising concerns about implementation and local control. Most other bills passed with little or no opposition, though a few drew dissenting votes, including the capital aggravating factors bill, charter schools, and the Office of Faith and Community measure.