Transcript Highlights:

• I can get away with two minutes and they won't be able to track me or find this, or one minute.
• On that, I mean, just so that I'm kind of tracking too, this is a legislative proposal.
• Maybe I'm not tracking correctly, and maybe I've got a complete misunderstanding of the appropriation
• If I'm tracking everything correctly, head nods say yes, that is tracking.
• I'm just going to make sure that I'm tracking.

Summary: The committee first received a report on the executive protection detail, which was filed without questions. Members were then given a long advance list of House and Senate bills ready for consideration, followed by several amendment requests from agencies. The committee adopted amendments for the Auditor of State to increase special deputy expense allowance, the Administrative Office of the Courts for court interpreters and substitute court reporters, and several other items including local sales tax refunds, county property tax redistribution, and local law enforcement funding. It also held one amendment on House Bill 1034 and moved a Northwest Arkansas Community College cash fund increase tied to tornado-related campus repairs. The committee then considered a series of member amendments and appropriation items, including increases for the Public Defender Commission and deputy prosecuting attorneys to cover higher bar license fees, and a $12 million federal appropriation-only item. A lengthy discussion followed on a proposal from Senator Wallace and Representative Tosh to fund a pilot program for prison cell-phone detection/jamming technology at two correctional facilities. Sponsors and Department of Corrections officials said the system would target illegal contraband phones, would be procured through an RFP, and would be a two-year pilot; members raised questions about legality, cost, scope, data, and whether the department should use existing budget authority. The committee ultimately advanced the item by motion. The committee also took up an amendment from Senator Caldwell for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, seeking a $4 million appropriation increase. Testimony emphasized that the division’s extension offices and research functions are underfunded, that salaries are not competitive, and that the request would help with staffing and flexibility; other members questioned why the division needed more appropriation authority when it already had room under current limits and noted that the request exceeded the higher education board’s recommendation. The amendment was adopted after extended debate. Finally, the committee began acting on governor’s letters, adopting amendments for a $150 million increase to the homestead property tax credit, a $23,000 reallocation for the Insurance Department’s conference costs, $100,000 for property appraisal review work, $1.5 million for career and technical education professional development, $300,000 for DFA regulatory federal spending, $5 million for Inspector General fraud investigations, a consolidation of appraiser/abstractor/home inspector appropriations, deletion of a completed Fort Chaffee readiness center appropriation, and a revised reappropriation for corrections capital projects that would add special language restricting use of the $73.7 million prison-expansion reappropriation. The committee also heard a summary of a supplemental appropriations package involving fund transfers for pregnancy resource centers, senior centers, assistance grants, used tires, and UAMS pregnancy/stroke programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• She has lost, she said, track runner, and she has lost in.
• She said track runner And I think that's what we're facing, members.
• That's twice around the track here, and in a minute, 57 seconds. Pretty fast.
• She excels at volleyball, and she excels at track. She's a high jumper.
• She excels of volleyball and she excels at track. She's a high jumper.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• move into SSIS, the Social Services Information System, or as a system that supports data entry, tracking
• paperwork reduction review indicated that there was a significant clue to address the way workers tracked
• In essence, time tracking is a required and critical component for reimbursement, and due to the complex
• Workers who tested the technology report saving 2 to 5 hours per week. workers tracked their time.
• In essence, I guess time tracking is a required and critical component component for reimbursement and

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• DOH said that most hospitals do not send them the information, and it doesn't keep track of which hospitals
• Also, that's not something that's easily tracked by DOH for us to review. Okay.
• And also, that's not something that's easily tracked by DOH for us to review. Okay.
• So we've started to categorize them and catalog them to keep track, because this is concerning.
• The next slide shows that some of the early Medicaid dates in H.R. 1 that we're tracking.

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and reporting. JLARC said DOH was late on 72% of acute care hospital inspections as of December 2024, had not verified that third-party accrediting standards were substantially equivalent to state standards, did not consistently require proof of those inspections, did not review adverse health event corrective plans, and could make hospital data more accessible. JLARC also raised a possible language-access barrier in the complaint system. Members asked about complaint filing by staff, the meaning of adverse health events, inspection outcomes, and whether the audit compared DOH to other agencies. JLARC said it had not reviewed inspection results or cross-agency comparisons, but noted inspectors were dedicated and working long hours. DOH later said it concurred with the recommendations and outlined a strategic plan with target dates for improving timeliness, verifying accreditation standards, expanding language access, reviewing adverse event laws, and improving public data access, with annual reporting to the Legislature expected. The committee then heard a Department of Health presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current certificate of need process, which reviews need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility changes and new services, and said the program has not been modernized since the 1980s. DOH proposed 10 statutory modernization recommendations, including clarifying the program’s purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, updating access-to-care standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, strengthening long-term funding, and using better data systems. Members asked about oversight of freestanding urgent care and EDs, funding sources, and whether the process could be streamlined or made more responsive to complaints or other triggers. A third panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care. Lucy O’Rourke of the Coalition for Health AI described CHAI’s work on responsible AI principles, technical standards, model cards or “nutrition labels,” testing and governance tools, and educational resources for providers. She said the group is focused on trust, transparency, fairness, safety, security, and privacy, and noted Washington’s AI-related policy work as among the more progressive in the country. No questions were asked. The final portion focused on the financial impact of federal and state health care policy changes. The Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals are facing low or negative operating margins, service reductions, layoffs, and closures, and that state cuts and taxes enacted in 2025, combined with federal HR1 changes, will significantly worsen finances. Providence Swedish leaders described staffing reductions, service cuts, delayed capital investments, and pressure from denials, tariffs, and reimbursement changes, while emphasizing that frontline staffing cuts are tied to service reductions rather than nurse-to-patient ratio changes. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange then began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits, state Cascade Care Savings assistance, and eligibility changes affecting lawfully present non-citizens, with examples showing large premium increases for customers if federal subsidies expire.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can track down the numbers in terms of natural disasters.
• We'll track all the dollars' implementation and we will follow that very closely.
• So, and we track that now, we'll be in a very strong position to track that moving forward.
• We're going to track it. You know what? I can track my dog on his GPS unit.
• Track my dog on his GPS unit. Doesn't mean I control it.

Transcript Highlights:

• internal controls and accountability unit, which provides tools, consults with agency partners, and tracks
• internal controls and accountability unit, which provides tools, consults with agency partners, and tracks
• internal controls and accountability unit, which provides tools, consults with agency partners, and tracks
• internal controls and accountability unit, which provides tools, consults with agency partners, and tracks
• with agency partners and tracks resolution<00:14:56.160> of<00:14:56.320> audit<00:14:

Bills: HF2783

Keywords: state government finance, biennial budget, appropriations, Minnesota Management and Budget, Healthy Aging Subcabinet, Office of Healthy Aging, older adults, aging policy, long-term care, caregivers, public health, Medicaid fraud, medical assistance fraud, attorney general subpoena power, fraud enforcement, business filing fraud, Secretary of State, deceptive mailings, consumer protection, certified public accountant

Transcript Highlights:

• And at the end of February, we're at 1,124, so we're on track to exceed that number.
• So we have all that information that we do track.
• We track it by category, pre-enrollment category, and overall.
• But it enables us to monitor and track basically PMPMs at the rate group level.
• Do you track any of the tertiary insurance premiums that are coming back to the plans?

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee took up two bills and then continued oversight discussions with APD and AHCA. CS/HB 27, the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, was presented as a way to let Florida social workers practice in other compact states and vice versa; AARP, the Florida Chamber, and NASW Florida supported it, and the bill passed favorably. HB 1127, a child welfare bill, would create a treatment foster care pilot for children with high behavioral needs, improve DCF data collection on commercially sexually exploited children, and expand recruitment for protective investigators and case managers; the bill also passed favorably after brief supportive testimony. The committee then questioned APD at length about the iBudget waiver waitlist, enrollment pace, spending projections, and provider capacity. APD said it had sent more than 1,100 interest letters in categories 3, 4, and 5, enrolled 1,124 people so far this year, and expects to spend about 96.4% of its waiver appropriation, leaving roughly $82 million unspent. Members pressed APD on why prior discussions suggested more reserve was needed, how long the SANS process takes, whether category 6 could be expanded, and whether the agency has enough waiver support coordinators and direct support providers. APD said it has about 1,061 waiver support coordinators statewide, adequate capacity for current enrollees, but would need further analysis if the legislature directed a much larger enrollment increase. Members also asked about outreach, annual maintenance of the waitlist, portability for military families, and whether communication efforts should be privatized. Finally, AHCA walked the committee through the 2023 Achieved Savings Rebate (ASR) report for Aetna and explained how the report is used for financial monitoring, rebate calculations, and transparency. AHCA said the ASR is separate from the medical loss ratio (MLR) calculation, though both are reviewed, and that Florida uses the ASR mechanism rather than an MLR remittance requirement to recover funds from plans. Members asked about related-party disclosures, CVS/Caremark relationships, expanded benefits, encounter data, network adequacy penalties, denials and appeals reporting, interest earned on capitation payments, and whether rate increases were reaching providers. AHCA and the outside auditors said they review the plans’ reported data, reconcile it to underlying records, and can assess liquidated damages for network adequacy violations; several members requested follow-up data on rebates, interest, provider capacity, and related-party reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Following his guidance, the district entered discussion with United Turf and Track, the third bidder,
• United Turf and Track, the third bidder.
• The district has also worked with United Turf and Track over the past two years to perform repairs and
• The district has also worked with United Turf and Track over the past two years to perform repairs and

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The change items on the summary sheet correspond with items tracked in the full aid tracking.
• landscape form are the full tracking landscape form are the full tracking documents<00:19:25.679
• Um the is the property tax tracking.
• with items tracked in the full<00:19:44.400> aid<00:19:44.799> tracking.
• full aid tracking. full aid tracking.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would ask, at the early stages here, you are particularly sensitive to tracking that.
• So those who um are tracking that.
• > and<01:27:34.080> monitoring primarily for tracking and monitoring primarily for tracking
• I just sometimes I lose track because I'm... That's fine. Um, okay.
• We also now have the Harvard School of Dental Medicine's rural track program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first handled roll call and approved the prior meeting minutes. Members discussed attendance and substitutions, then moved to the DHS commissioner’s update, which focused on New Hampshire’s Medicaid 1115 waiver and the new community re-entry initiative for people leaving correctional facilities. The presenter explained that the waiver lets the state cover certain services not normally covered under Medicaid, including substance use disorder treatment, serious mental illness services, adult dental benefits, and the new community re-entry component. She also noted that a separate youth re-entry component is federally required, with youth defined up to age 21 and foster-care-related coverage extending to age 26. The update described how the adult re-entry program works for incarcerated individuals with behavioral health needs, providing up to 45 days of pre-release services, care coordination with managed care organizations and DOC staff, telemedicine assessments, discharge prescriptions, insurance cards, and connections to community mental health, primary care, and substance use providers. For youth, the program includes more intensive case management, 30 days of pre-release services, and 30 days of post-release care coordination, with a stronger emphasis on screening, diagnosis, and holistic assessment. The presenter said New Hampshire received the adult waiver in July 2024, has implemented the program in state correctional facilities, and is beginning work at the youth center. Members and the presenter discussed why the program is structured as a waiver rather than a standard Medicaid benefit, with the explanation that CMS is allowing this as a newer policy area and that states generally pursue waivers for certain services. The chair and others emphasized the need for real cost and outcome data, and the presenter said an independent evaluator and evaluation plan are required under the 1115 waiver. Early results cited included 30 adults enrolled so far, 10 released, five youth enrolled with one released, and anecdotal early successes such as housing, employment, and better continuity of medication and treatment. The committee did not take any additional votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill, as in print, creates a parallel conflicting track that adds costs without providing tangible
• This bill, as imprint, creates a parallel conflicting track that adds costs without providing tangible
• My question is, how are you going to keep track?
• So there's two complementary tracks.
• Every gram of spent fuel Diablo Canyon has produced in 40 years is solid, tracked, and sitting on site

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We<00:21:31.680> show<00:21:32.000> the<00:21:32.520> the this is how we track
• We show the the this is how we track it.
• On page six, section five, it won't appear on the tracking, but I should have footnoted it, so I will
• do that in the next version of the tracking sheet.
• Um this is a requirement tracking sheet.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That takes place at our track on the Ben Avery grounds there.
• That takes place at our track on the Ben Avery grounds there.
• You can see where the numbers kind of go from there, and if you track it over time, you can see that
• You can see where the numbers kind of go from there, and if you track it over time, you can see that
• I don't think you have a way to track that. Maybe, Mr.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee met to review the state’s off-highway vehicle program, with opening remarks focused on balancing recreation, safety, tourism, and land-use conflicts among OHV users, hikers, bikers, ranchers, and land managers. Arizona State Parks and Trails reported on OHV fund revenues, grant balances, and process changes intended to speed up mitigation and law enforcement spending. The agency said it has tightened grant oversight, eliminated informal grant “buckets,” increased delegated authority for quicker project approval, and is using contracted trail crews for expedited maintenance and mitigation. Examples discussed included fencing and signage at Bulldog Canyon, erosion-control work at Charlew Gap, and a mitigation project at Windmill Mountain Ranch. Members emphasized that prior committee discussions helped recover nearly $4 million from stale grants and redirect it to current priorities. Arizona Game and Fish reported that OHV education and enforcement activity has increased. The mandatory online safety course has been taken by more than 149,000 people through ADOT and 15,000 through Game and Fish, and officers said compliance, especially helmet use by children, has improved. Game and Fish also described its OHV enforcement role, including seven dedicated officers and 97 field officers, training for about 40 agencies, and a new requirement that OHV law be included in police academy curricula starting in 2026. The department said most citations involve no decal, helmet issues, cross-country travel, habitat damage, and reckless driving. Members asked about speeding standards, road use, and a helmet-law conflict involving children in side-by-sides; Game and Fish said it is currently harmonizing the statutes and has treated children in side-by-sides as exempt under the newer provision. ADOT explained the decal and registration process, including the required safety course, the $25 decal, and the new non-resident 30-day permit for certain out-of-state OHVs. Staff also clarified that the course is required for owners, not every occasional operator, and that rental companies are not statutorily required to have each renter take the course, though some do so voluntarily. The committee then heard a legislative overview of recent OHV bills: 2024’s SB 1576 on safety, age, and helmet requirements; 2025’s SB 1517 creating the temporary non-resident permit and extending the study committee; and this year’s SB 1519, which would raise the OHV weight limit from 2,500 to 3,500 pounds and add a proposed new fee class. Members and stakeholders discussed whether the higher weight limit would broaden the OHV category, affect revenue, and better reflect newer, heavier side-by-sides, while some cautioned against blurring the line between OHVs and regular vehicles. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The only thing that we're able to track right now per student is one. year out because the data doesn't
• So I wish I could give you a better answer. but we currently don't have a system where you can track
• It's on a fast track. It's going to be in the town of Weston.
• So, we are making significant progress and we are on the right track.
• So, we track where our benefits are paid.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're really looking; our goal is for a five-year track.
• Our goal is to track this information for five years. That's really unusual.
• Is there a separate track for each certificate, or how do you do that?
• The first is, are we on track to complete the plan by 2026?
• So I would say that we are on track.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also keeps track of all of the pertinent donor documents identifying the purpose and the use of the
• It also keeps track of all of the pertinent donor documents identifying the purpose and the use of the
• use<00:22:43.039> to<00:22:43.600> uh<00:22:44.080> keep<00:22:44.320> track
• <00:22:44.559> of system we use to uh keep track of system we use to uh keep track of individual
• of uh all of the it does keep track of uh all of the pertinent<00:22:56.159> uh<00:22:56.320>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard several Senate concurrent resolutions related to University of Hawaiʻi programs, audits, and workforce development. Testimony on SCR 50, which urged establishment of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Maui campus, was strongly supportive, with witnesses citing the state’s nursing shortage and Maui’s acute physician and nurse shortages. The committee later recommended passage with a technical HD1 amendment, and the measure was adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee also heard SCR 137, SCR 138, and SCR 142, all involving proposed audits. SCR 137 sought a performance audit of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation; the Foundation opposed it, and the chair recommended deferral after noting the legislative auditor’s view that the office lacks jurisdiction over the private nonprofit. SCR 138 proposed a management and performance audit of the Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy, and SCR 142 proposed an audit of the UH Mānoa athletics department. UH representatives provided comments on both, with athletics explaining existing NCAA-required financial audits, internal performance evaluations, and a strategic plan that includes self-review. The committee ultimately recommended passage of SCR 138 and SCR 142 with technical HD1 amendments. For SCR 192, which proposed a veterinary medicine expansion working group, UH and other witnesses discussed the idea of exploring a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, but the chair said a community college is not the appropriate venue for a doctoral program. The committee recommended substantial HD1 changes removing Windward Community College from the title and shifting the effort to the UH system level, adding the UH president or designee and a Hilo campus representative to the working group; the amended resolution was adopted. The committee also heard SCR 193, calling for community colleges to identify bachelor’s degree and workforce pathways aligned with regional needs, and SCR 203, which sought exploration of an Alzheimer’s disease research center and federal funding requirements; both drew supportive comments and no opposition. The meeting recessed briefly for lack of quorum, then reconvened for decision-making and adopted the chair’s recommendations on the measures considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm still kind of on the stop arm camera track here.
• I'm still kind of on the stop arm camera track here. Do we know how many buses have been equipped?
• > re<00:26:03.080> um<00:26:03.240> get<00:26:03.399> that that way to track
• and re um get that that way to track and re um get that video<00:26:03.919> after<00:26:04.120
• started by a couple of my track started by a couple of my colleagues<00:29:57.279> Senator<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: On February 3, 2025, the committee first took up Senate File 483, as amended by the A2 author’s amendment, which would expand Minnesota’s medical-review exemptions for drivers with a history of loss of consciousness or seizures. The bill’s author explained that current law still requires some people who have been seizure-free for years, and off medication for years, to keep returning to a physician for paperwork even when their doctor says no further review is needed. A testifier described losing his commercial driving career after a seizure disorder, then being forced to keep paying for periodic neurologist visits despite being seizure-free since 2003 and off medication since 2009. The committee adopted the A2 amendment and then approved the bill, sending Senate File 483 to the State Government Committee. The committee then heard Senate File 737, which would increase mandatory minimum fines for repeated school bus stop-arm violations from $500 for a first offense to $700 for a second and $950 for a third. The author and the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association argued that repeat violations remain too common and that stronger penalties, along with stop-arm cameras, would help deter dangerous driving and protect children. A State Patrol representative said 2024 saw about 2,100 stop-arm charges, roughly double two years earlier, and attributed much of the increase to cameras making violations easier to prove; he also said conviction rates on the charge are about 50 to 55 percent. Committee members asked about repeat offenders, camera coverage, and whether bus stop locations should be safer, with one member noting only 23 people had been convicted of a second offense since 2015 and one of a third offense. The discussion ended with no final vote shown in the transcript, but the bill received supportive testimony and extensive questioning about enforcement and bus-stop safety.

Transcript Highlights:

• something we'll be uh tracking closely. something we'll be uh tracking closely.
• Um, so I think that that is certainly something that we want to be tracking more closely, looking at
• <01:30:21.120> We're<01:30:21.360> losing states on the same track.
• We're losing states on the same track.
• you're tracking based on Fred data? you're tracking based on Fred data?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You had so many items we've lost track. Go ahead. Chad's Alamo, the analyst office.
• We've been tracking those projects for several years now. They seem on course.
• Chaz Alamo, LAO: We've been tracking those projects for several years now.
• The plan for release on July 1 is still on track for that larger release. Of this year? Correct.
• And also, there are two more veterans' homes, Reading and Yountville, that are on track.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee held a May Revision budget hearing on state administration and related issues, hearing presentations from multiple departments and agencies. Early items included the Public Employment Relations Board on funding for implementation of AB 1 and a reduced request tied to AB 288, the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement on a technical College Corps adjustment, and the Secretary of State on building security upgrades, election security grant matching funds, and payroll system readiness costs. The Department of Consumer Affairs presented a Board of Pharmacy modernization request and a General Fund backfill for the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education; the LAO raised no concerns on the pharmacy item but recommended rejecting the private postsecondary backfill and questioned interest-free loan language. The Employment Development Department outlined several large workload and benefit adjustments, including EDD Next document management funding, UI loan interest, DI/PFL benefit increases, WIOA adjustments, school employee benefits, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical reversion correction; the LAO flagged the size of the DI/PFL increase and the expansion of the document management scope, while members asked about program impacts and timelines. The California Workforce Development Board presented an April adjustment to reimbursement authority for an interagency agreement with Caltrans, which the LAO said raised no concerns. Public comment on that item and others included support for workforce and apprenticeship initiatives, including the Jails to Jobs proposal and renewal of the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, though those were not part of the May Revision package. The Department of Industrial Relations then presented several proposals: reclassifying legal positions, continuing modernization of the workers’ compensation EAMS system, Cal/OSHA data modernization, creating a Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, reappropriating funds for the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship program, and trailer bill changes requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and adjusting the statutory treatment of the workers’ compensation administrative director’s salary. The LAO generally found the IT and salary proposals reasonable but urged close monitoring of the new emerging technologies unit. Committee members, especially Assemblymember Ortega, pressed DIR on long vacancy rates, wage theft claim delays, low collection rates for Cal/OSHA fines, and whether new resources would improve outcomes; DIR said it was pursuing recruitment, classification reviews, and process modernization, while the LAO noted that staffing alone may not explain the delays. The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board also sought to make permanent a 2024 change to the 60-day reconsideration clock, saying it had reduced backlog and interim orders; the LAO had no concerns. Finally, the Department of Human Resources presented a statewide Employee Assistance Program contract consolidation that would lower costs compared with renewing separate contracts and requested one program manager position to oversee the contract and first responder services; the hearing continued with Finance’s response after the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is to better help track per-student funding in schools and scholarship programs as parents and families
• It strengthens nursing home oversight with new reporting, quality tracking, and a third-party comprehensive
• I'm losing track of where we are here. I'm sorry. It's a big agenda.
• I'm losing track of where we are here.
• on hazard mitigation grant program grants, clarifies that local governments within 100 miles of the track

Summary: The Appropriations Committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper and committee chairs highlighted major spending priorities including a 4% raise for state employees, continued health insurance contributions, investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and workforce development, along with reductions tied to long-vacant positions. Education funding was a major focus, with increases for K-12 public schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, nursing initiatives, tutoring, and university performance funding. Health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/economic development, and agriculture/environment budgets were also outlined, including Medicaid, mental health, corrections staffing, affordable housing, beach restoration, citrus recovery, and water projects. Members then questioned several budget choices, especially K-12 funding. Senators Polsky and Smith raised concerns that the Senate’s AP and dual enrollment funding changes could disadvantage public schools, while Burgess argued the budget preserves the money in the FEFP and gives districts more flexibility rather than reducing support. Questions also addressed voucher availability, school stabilization funding, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted 171 consent amendments and three late-file amendments, then approved SPB 2500 as a committee bill. It also favorably reported implementing and conforming bills for state employees, retirement, natural resources, judgeships, K-12 education, higher education, and health and human services, along with SB 7022 on Florida Retirement System contribution rates and elected-officer DROP options, CS/SB 1320 on the Resilient Florida Trust Fund, SB 7014 ending the Mediation and Arbitration Trust Fund, SB 7028 on cancer research, CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality and oversight, CS/SB 168 on mental health diversion and behavioral health data, SB 114 creating an insurance and risk management research center at FSU, and SB 180 on emergency preparedness and post-storm recovery. Most bills were reported favorably with little or no opposition, though SB 180 drew discussion about local-government authority after storms and the need to balance recovery speed with local safety and planning concerns.