Transcript Highlights:

• Kindergarten is a is a services.
• The Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred House Bill 357, an act relative to
• ...into digital assets and precious metals.
• Bitcoin would be the only digital asset the treasurer would be permitted to invest in.
• <01:54:48.000> assets, precious metal and digital assets, precious metal and digital assets

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• when the service member has federal military service of 90 consecutive days or more on a single order
• Service.
• We have to have an acronym, you know, DIGIT.
• Florida Digital Service will be transferred as a type 2 transfer to DIGIT as of January 5, 2027, to give
• Forest Service land without a permit.

Bills: S0330, S0474, S0694, S1120, S1216, S1366, S1442, S7018

Keywords: firefighter disability, law enforcement disability, correctional officer disability, correctional probation officer, presumptive disability, workers' compensation, line of duty presumption, heart disease presumption, hypertension presumption, tuberculosis presumption, public safety employees, first responders, physical examination, preemployment exam, medical specialist, Medicare reimbursement, employing agency, Florida Statutes 112.18, Florida Statutes 943.13, occupational disease

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills, beginning with SB 694 on compensation for the descendants of the Groveland Four. Senator Bracey Davis described the wrongful accusations, convictions, deaths, and long-term harm to the families, and an amendment added a $4 million appropriation and updated the recipient for Ernest Thomas’s family. Multiple family members, advocates, clergy, and supporters testified in favor, emphasizing the decades-long delay in justice and the need for accountability and repair. Senators from both parties spoke in support, and the committee reported the bill favorably after a roll call vote. The committee then approved SB 330 on disability provisions for firefighters, law enforcement, and correctional officers; SB 474 on military affairs leave and related benefits; and SB 96 on the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program. SB 96 drew the most discussion, with Senator Sharief explaining that the bill raises eligibility to 400% of the federal poverty level and moves $500,000 in recurring funding to the General Appropriations Act. Senator Wright and Senator Harrell raised concerns about whether expanding eligibility could worsen the existing waitlist, while supporters argued the change would help more veterans access needed dental care. The bill was ultimately reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 7018 on child welfare, making the Step Into Success pilot program permanent and statewide, adjusting visitor/background-check rules for foster homes, and creating a best-practices program through the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. SB 480 on information technology was reported favorably after amendments creating a central IT governance structure under the Governor’s office, adding vendor performance metrics and a preferred vendor list, and restoring criminal justice information security provisions. SB 1066 on the Ocklawaha River and Rodman Dam also advanced after extensive testimony from supporters and historians about partial restoration, recreation, and economic benefits; the sponsor said he would continue working through permitting questions before floor consideration. Later, the committee approved SB 1216 on educator compensation, which gives districts more flexibility on cost-of-living adjustments, advanced degrees, and performance pay caps, and SB 1120 on water management district oversight and reporting. The committee also reported favorably SB 1366 on sovereign immunity and claims against government, which would raise damages caps, index them to CPI, shorten claim deadlines, and cap attorney fees at 25%. That bill drew testimony from hospitals, cities, counties, school districts, and others, with some supporting the Senate’s compromise approach and others raising concerns about impacts on self-insured law enforcement agencies and attorney incentives. The meeting concluded with the favorable report on the bill after debate continued over those issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you think about products like streaming media services and digital goods, those are almost entirely
• The expansion of a sales and use tax to all sales of digital prewritten software and software as a service
• File as a service in 2026.
• and improved free-filing service.
• After projects placed in service, we have, projects have to be rereviewed by staff. placed in service

Summary: The committee opened with the State Controller’s Office May Revision requests, including funding for Fiscal book-of-record stabilization, a Broadcom IDMS licensing adjustment, the California State Payroll System, ACFR reporting automation, and $3 million for unclaimed property outreach. Testimony emphasized progress on Fiscal becoming the state’s accounting book of record in July, faster ACFR publication, and the move to electronic unclaimed property claims. Members asked about the size of the unclaimed property fund and how quickly money is transferred to the General Fund; the Controller’s office said about $15 billion is held, with most excess transferred regularly, and the LAO noted the fund is the General Fund’s fourth-largest revenue source. No concerns were raised by Finance or the LAO, and the item was closed after no public comment. The committee then heard the administration’s proposal to tax prewritten digital software and software-as-a-service, with Finance saying it would modernize sales tax treatment and raise an estimated $450 million General Fund and $560 million local revenue in 2026-27. The LAO supported modernizing the tax but suggested broader digital goods coverage and a business-use exemption; industry and taxpayer groups opposed the proposal, warning of higher costs for consumers and businesses. Members also heard CDTFA’s administrative request tied to the proposal, plus a separate CDTFA budget reduction reflecting lower operational needs; that reduction was presented as a savings item and drew positive reactions. Next, the committee considered federal conformity for “Trump accounts,” which would align California tax treatment with federal rules for tax-deferred children’s accounts and avoid tracking burdens for families. The LAO recommended approval, and the item drew no opposition. The committee also heard a proposal to cut the first-year $800 annual business tax to $400 for LLCs, LPs, and LLPs; Finance argued it would lower startup costs and encourage new business formation, while the LAO said the benefit was not well targeted and could subsidize entities that would form anyway. Members discussed the policy tradeoff, and public commenters split between support for small business relief and concern about revenue loss. The final major revenue item was a permanent business tax credit limitation, capping credits at the greater of $5 million per corporation or 50% of pre-credit liability, while excluding the low-income housing tax credit and personal income tax credits. Finance said it would raise significant revenue from large profitable corporations, and the LAO said it was a reasonable option but noted it would mainly affect the R&D credit and could have future implications for programs like California Competes. Public testimony was sharply divided, with business groups opposing the cap and anti-poverty advocates supporting it as a way to recapture revenue. The committee also heard FTB’s CalFile realignment request, which would return most of the direct-file-related resources to the General Fund while retaining a smaller staff to improve CalFile, and the California Arts Council’s request to reauthorize the Keep Arts in Schools voluntary contribution fund, which members and advocates supported despite relatively modest annual donations. The hearing continued with GoBiz proposals on civic media funding, CA RISE reappropriation, and a semiconductor facility reversion, with the LAO supporting the latter two and members raising questions about the civic media program’s scope, outreach, and inclusion of broadcast and ethnic media.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are a service organization.
• <00:25:44.760> and<00:25:44.919> services provide financial support and services provide
• We've got nearly 7 million pages of Minnesota newspapers digitized and fully accessible on our digital
• > our<01:17:25.480> digital<01:17:25.920> newspaper accessible on on our digital
• cataloging um the Minnesota Digital cataloging um the Minnesota Digital Library<01:22:01.920>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Does this at this service, who is responsible for those students?
• So thank you for your service.
• She said that currently not everyone uses digital, but digital is the norm with which schools test.
• She said that currently not everyone uses digital, but digital is the norm with which schools test.
• She said it is 2026 and we are in the digital age.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• digital assets is is is is a relatively digital assets is is is is a relatively new<00:13:30.800>
• <00:13:42.639> assets have any investments in digital assets have any investments in digital
• <00:42:58.400> that<00:42:58.640> digital<00:42:59.599> uh of that digital that
• digital uh of that digital that digital uh information.<00:43:01.119> What<00:43:01.280> blockchain
• and digital and digital assets.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session on HB 302, which would add precious metals and digital assets as potential investment options. State Treasurer Monica Misipelli said she took no position on the bill and did not see an immediate fiscal impact or operational problem, but explained that the state’s operating funds and rainy day fund require liquidity and stability, so they would not be suitable for volatile assets like precious metals or digital assets. She said the only funds that might potentially use such investments would be certain trust funds held in perpetuity, which are managed by an outside investment advisor under a contract and investment policy. Members asked about the treasurer’s current investment practices, including the types of funds managed, the role and discretion of the investment advisor, the state’s risk profile, and whether the bill would affect existing authority. Misipelli said the office follows RSA 11 and related statutes, with different objectives ranging from conservative to aggressive depending on the fund, and that the advisor meets with the office regularly, with formal performance reviews on a quarterly basis. She also said the office recently centralized management of about 40 trust accounts totaling roughly $60 million into five combined portfolios under a five-year contract with an RFP-selected vendor. When asked whether precious metals or digital assets are already indirectly available through mutual funds, she said that was possible for some mutual funds, but she was not certain about digital assets. Representative Ammon, the bill’s sponsor, said similar legislation had passed the Oklahoma House, the Texas House and Senate, and had advanced in Arizona. He argued the bill was intended to give the treasurer more tools to help balance portfolios and hedge inflation, noting concerns about federal debt and inflation. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the chair ended the questioning after thanking the treasurer and asking her to remain available in case further questions arose.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Minnesota Digital Minnesota Digital Library<01:18:15.120> so<01:18:15.840> uh<01:18
• <01:26:05.040> of programming the digitization of programming the digitization of Minnesota
• <01:26:31.719> digitization for that newspaper digit digitization for that newspaper digit
• mentioned earlier and um the digital mentioned earlier and um the digital library<01:30:42.480><

Bills: HF1250

Keywords: outdoor heritage, land acquisition, wildlife management, conservation easements, environmental restoration, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So they did their service. And now they're coming to California.
• are well aware of the infrastructure of services within the state.
• We appreciate all your hard work and your service.
• Programming statewide through grants, programs, and services.
• We never stopped working. working in service of communities.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> and thank you for your service on the board,<00:15:00.160> too.
• Um we are hoping for an appropriation so that all our code could be digitalized.
• Um we are hoping for an appropriation so that all our code could be digitalized.
• Um we are hoping for an appropriation so that all our code could be digitalized.
• <01:21:53.920> We without services those days. We without services those days.

Bills: SF0082

Keywords: registered agents, corporate governance, entity ownership, business regulations, transparency, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They lost their lives in service and are honored at the Normandy American Cemetery.
• Our next page hails from District 41, Digital Harbor High School, Jerome Graham.
• Our next page hails from District 41,<00:16:07.440> Digital<00:16:08.400> Digital<00:16
• :08.839> Harbor<00:16:09.160> High<00:16:09.320> School, 41, Digital Digital Harbor
• High School, 41, Digital Digital Harbor High School, Jerome<00:16:10.560> Graham.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 9, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate opened with an invocation by Reverend Rodney Hudson, who was introduced by the Senator from the 40th District and recognized for his work as a pastor, teacher, and community leader in West Baltimore. The chamber also welcomed several district night visitors, AFSCME members, and a new group of student pages from schools across the state. The Senate then took up a resolution honoring the Maryland Council for Social Studies and its Social Studies and Civics Educator Award recipients, with remarks praising their work in education and a unanimous celebratory vote. The named honorees included educators recognized for elementary and secondary social studies, new teacher of the year, instructional leader of the year, a related organization professional, and civic education educator of the year. The Senate also adopted a resolution recognizing the women of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion during Women’s History Month. The sponsor highlighted the battalion’s all-Black, overseas World War II service, its work clearing a massive mail backlog for troops, and the racism and sexism the women overcame. The resolution honored the service and legacy of the unit and was approved unanimously. In addition, the Senate passed Senate Bill 56, authorizing external data sharing by the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center for multi-state reporting, and Senate Bill 100, concerning early voting centers and bus stops, both by 44 affirmative votes. Later, a late-filed bill was introduced after suspension of the rules: Senate Bill 1006, the Maryland State Flag Protection Act, a constitutional amendment intended to protect the state flag in the constitution. The bill was referred to the Rules Committee. The session concluded with caucus announcements, including a Democratic caucus meeting the next morning, a Republican caucus meeting at 8:30 a.m., and notice of a Jewish Caucus event marking the 200th anniversary of the Jew Bill. The Senate then adjourned until March 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• and 29 to meet new federal digital and 29 to meet new federal digital accessibility<00:52:18.720
• ,<00:53:21.680> court psychological services, court psychological services, court interpreter
• <00:54:25.440> accessibility legal and digital accessibility legal and digital accessibility
• um and to be compliant with digital um and to be compliant with digital accessibility<00:54:36.480
• <01:09:46.480> records, that uh without other digital records, that uh without other digital

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• OYCR is within the California Health and Human Services. Agency.
• These CBOs have listed that at least 10% of their services are available to tribal youth.
• Thank you for your service.
• And they have what is called an investigative services unit.
• In all these cases, you know, there's a digital evidence component, right?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this year he actually started, I mean, he's meeting with all digital media teachers four times, so
• done a lot of digital Equity work right<00:07:12.879> on<00:07:13.039> the<00:07:13.199
• them really um you know learn digital them really um you know learn digital technology<00:10:02.440
• <00:10:49.760> media into the high school digital media into the high school digital media
• There are some schools who don't even have a digital media teacher, right?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard confirmations for two Hawaii Technology Development Corporation board nominees, Jaclyn Ka and Gregory Oara. Testimony for both was overwhelmingly in support. Supporters for Ka emphasized her Kauaʻi roots, work in workforce development and digital equity, and ability to connect schools, industry, and community needs. In her own remarks, Ka said she wants to bring resources to Kauaʻi and the neighbor islands, strengthen local workforce pathways, and use the HTDC board to help local residents access technology jobs and training. Members questioned Ka about how to reduce reliance on mainland hires for jobs at PMRF and other technology employers, how to better align training with local needs, and how to connect Kauaʻi schools, community college programs, and creative media/digital technology efforts. Ka described KDB’s role in building islandwide digital media and drone clubs, professional development for teachers, and partnerships intended to create a pipeline from school to workforce. She also said the legislature can help mainly by listening and staying informed about local needs. For Oara, supporters highlighted his engineering and semiconductor background, his experience in academia, industry, and startups, and his potential to help HTDC with technology commercialization, IP, and exportable services. Oara said he wants HTDC to better support early-stage companies, improve coordination among universities, government, and the private sector, and create a directory of technical skill sets to connect startups with needed expertise. He also discussed AI, saying Hawaii can contribute by developing smaller, locally relevant models rather than only relying on large-scale data-center infrastructure. The hearing focused on these nominations and testimony; no vote or final committee action was stated in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• manipulated and two created for the purposes of pair been one digitally manipulated and two created
• status, at which point the prosecuting agency would provide information to the person regarding services
• that can be provided by the State Department of Veteran Services.
• they amended it to direct the court rather than the prosecutor to provide the information for DVS services
• they amended it to direct the court rather than the prosecutor to provide the information for DVS services

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House Democratic Caucus met on Minority Caucus Calendar items and reviewed several Senate-amended House bills. HB 2003 would lower the learner’s permit age from 15½ to 15 and increase supervised driving time; the Senate added a delayed effective date of December 1, 2026, and the sponsor was said to have refused the amendment after previously concurring. HB 2693 would allow chambers of commerce to set up insurance purchasing pools for small businesses, and the Senate added a third-party-funded feasibility study by ADOA on what it would cost for state health insurance to enter the marketplace; members raised concerns that the study could be used to undermine the state self-insured plan, but no action was taken. HB 2133, dealing with synthetic sexual depictions and online sexual material verification, had multiple Senate changes that removed the synthetic-depiction expansion, added parody/artistic-expression exceptions, altered verification and record-retention rules, and removed AG inspection authority; the sponsor was expected to refuse the changes, and members were directed to stakeholder emails outlining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• service. area.
• We have about, our service is about 50 miles long, about 20 miles. wide, we have many miles of service
• EEO InfraSync technology and services, or InfraSync.
• It didn't service right away. They thought it was clean.
• So we see all the different A-1-1. services.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• local broadcasters who use digital local broadcasters who use digital platforms<00:23:02.080>
• Thousands of local retailers, restaurants, and service providers use affordable digital ads to reach
• receive some free services in return. receive some free services in return.
• are we providing for the core services are we providing for the core services that<00:53:34.800>
• <01:25:20.800> to House cutting government services to House cutting government services to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . service, family, education, and mentorship.
• services used by businesses across our state.
• It's a tax on services, which we haven't had in a long time.
• This expands California's sales tax to software subscriptions and digital services, the very tools that
• of a shrinking pool of resources for basic services.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the way I read that is legal service contracts are— show me—is a no... >> No legal contracts.
• exception for legal service contracts. exception for legal service contracts.
• So way I read that is legal service So way I read that is legal service contracts<00:33:21.679><
• <00:37:49.119> Well,<00:37:49.920> well, ticket, it's done digitally.
• Well, well, ticket, it's done digitally.

Bills: HB303, SB360, SB325, HB477, SB329, HB381, SB330

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a study from the Digital Education Council across 16 countries.
• This is a study from the Digital Education Council across 16 countries.
• And two years ago, they required us to teach digital responsibility to our children.
• And the state does have... ...required us to teach digital responsibility to our children.
• And two years ago, they required us to teach digital responsibility to our children.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education Pre-K through 12 met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence in K-12 education. Dr. Maya Israel of the University of Florida gave an overview of AI literacy, the benefits of AI for personalized learning and teacher support, and the risks involving data privacy, overreliance, hallucinations, and misuse. She described the Florida K-12 AI Task Force, which published statewide guidance in March and is now providing professional development, case studies, surveys, and resources for teachers and families. She also noted that teacher preparation programs and microcredentials are being developed, but there is not yet a statewide baseline standard for teacher AI training. Superintendents Van Ayers of Hillsborough County and Kevin Hendrick of Pinellas County described district policies and implementation efforts. Hillsborough adopted an AI governance policy, created an implementation guide, and set rules barring generative AI use for students in pre-K through 7th grade while allowing limited, teacher-approved use for older students with district-vetted tools. Pinellas emphasized digital responsibility, parent transparency, data-use agreements, and a governance process for approving tools. Both districts said AI is being used for lesson planning, tutoring, reading-level adjustments, scheduling, and other administrative tasks, but they do not yet have reliable evidence that AI is improving academic performance. They also discussed teacher training, stipends, and certification efforts, including partnerships with universities and vendors such as Microsoft, Google, Magic School, and Gemini. Drew Allen of FSU Inspire offered an industry-focused perspective, arguing that AI is not new but that education must adapt more quickly to industry needs. He described Inspire’s workforce and research mission, its AI and robotics training for teachers, and the need to build teacher comfort and confidence through incentives and applied training. Committee members raised concerns about student dependence on AI, academic integrity, mental health, moral decision-making, data privacy, and whether schools should return to more paper-based testing. The panel generally agreed that AI should be used with strong guardrails, human oversight, and a balance between technology use and traditional learning. No legislation was considered, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Preservation and digitization seem to be different.
• and digital archiving.
• history, and everything we have digitized is freely available online.
• and digital archiving.
• We digitize home movies and photos. planning, recordings of music and dance festivals, we digitize home

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on how recent federal actions are affecting arts, culture, humanities, libraries, museums, and the creative economy in California. Chair Ben Allen and Vice Chair Chris Ward opened by describing the hearing as a response to proposed and ongoing federal cuts to the NEA, NEH, IMLS, and public broadcasting, as well as grant terminations and leadership changes at cultural institutions. Several members emphasized the economic and civic importance of the arts, while one Republican member argued for greater ideological diversity in the arts and noted the loss of music programs in small schools. Testimony from Aaron Harky of Americans for the Arts and Jolie Fisher of SAG-AFTRA described the impact of federal policy on grants, jobs, and production. Harky said executive orders and the FY 2026 budget proposal threaten arts agencies and arts education, and that rescinded grants are causing hiring freezes, shutdowns, and losses for small organizations, especially in rural and underserved communities. Fisher focused on runaway film and television production, outdated tax rules, and the need for federal incentives, intellectual property protections, and action on AI and digital replicas. Members also discussed bipartisan support, the role of business and tourism partners, and the need to include more diverse voices in arts advocacy. The second panel featured Rick Noguchi of California Humanities, Greg Lucas of the State Library, and Danielle Purcell of the California Arts Council. Noguchi said NEH funding was cut immediately, putting California Humanities’ grantmaking and documentary programs at risk and prompting consideration of litigation and possible state support. Lucas reported that IMLS funding for California libraries was briefly canceled but partly restored, though a budget gap remains. Purcell said the California Arts Council is still awaiting federal award language for state partnership funds, but NEA grant terminations and the proposed elimination of federal cultural agencies create major uncertainty; she also said the council is assessing the damage and tracking impacts on grantees. Members asked about measuring outcomes, AI’s threat to creative work, documentary funding losses, and possible state and national strategies to protect cultural institutions and jobs.