Transcript Highlights:

• I played on the Gator Golf Team in the early 1970s.
• And I think North Florida College, in just our short time being there, we've learned that that college
• The university system began early, and I went to college and it just opened up my eyes to this bigger
• We funded it, and students from any college could learn and join and learn how data moves.
• We funded it, and students from any college could learn and join and learn how data moves around a network

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to hear confirmation testimony for a large slate of university and state college trustees. Most of the discussion centered on the nominees’ backgrounds, ties to their institutions, and priorities such as student success, workforce development, financial sustainability, research growth, housing, and maintaining or improving university rankings. Several University of Florida trustees emphasized campus improvements, “One UF” integration, institutional neutrality, and ambitions to move UF into the top tier nationally. Other nominees highlighted goals for Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, UCF, Florida State, Florida Poly, the Florida Prepaid College Board, and several state colleges, with recurring themes of affordability, economic mobility, cybersecurity, and keeping Florida students in-state for college and careers. Public testimony was heard on the Florida A&M appointment, where Elijah Hooks spoke in opposition to the current administration and described his expulsion, arrest, and trespass from the university after protesting the selection of President Marva Johnson. During questioning of FAU nominee Tina Vidal-Duart, senators asked about her prior service on the Hope Florida Foundation board and about reports concerning CDR Health’s contracting practices; she said she was not aware of the foundation issues at the time and noted that CDR’s state contract was a flat daily rate, so subcontractor pricing affected only the company’s internal margins. Other nominees received little or no questioning. At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to confirm all nominees except Tina Vidal-Duart separately. Senator Bracy Davis requested the separate vote and opposed her confirmation, citing concerns related to her Hope Florida Foundation board service. Despite that objection, the committee ultimately voted to report Vidal-Duart favorably as well. The committee also noted that one University of West Florida nominee would be taken up at a later hearing because he was unable to attend.

Transcript Highlights:

• Room 307, 7 to 8 a.m. on Early Childhood Program Issues, Outcomes for Kids, State Programs, and Funding
• Group and as the Machine Learning Project Leader for LANL's Advancement Simulation and Computing.
• You know, we've been friends for a long time, and you learn a lot about people in between.
• Pius and being an NMSU graduate, you learn about their community service and everything they do for the
• But you know, the number one thing you learn about Joe is that I could leave my wallet with a million

Transcript Highlights:

• There are students who don't have the same learning style as myself.
• House Bill One learning style as myself.
• No early release, no loopholes. Kentucky families deserve safety.
• No early serve their full sentence.
• No early release, release, release, no<02:03:38.800> loopholes.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, excused absent members, and suspended rules to allow co-sponsorship and vote modifications. The Senate reported passage of Senate Bills 52 and 124, and several House committees reported favorable action on bills including HB 1, HB 2, HB 94, HB 246, HB 282, HB 299, HB 307, HB 519, HB 613, and HB 648. Most of those measures were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar; HB 1 and HB 307 were sent to the Rules Committee after having had two previous readings. The House then recessed briefly before returning to the orders of the day. The chamber took up HB 568, relating to public adjusters. The sponsor explained that the bill would prohibit new public adjuster licenses, allow current licensees to renew, impose conflict-of-interest and contract requirements, set a 5% fee cap, and bar public adjusters from negotiating claims, citing consumer protection concerns and legal opinions about the practice of law. After debate and a brief explanation of vote from a member citing local storm-related abuses, the House voted on roll call and passed HB 568 with one nay vote. The House then considered HB 1, which would opt Kentucky into the federal education freedom tax credit program. Supporters said it would allow private donations to scholarship-granting organizations to benefit Kentucky students without using state general funds, and argued it could help public, private, and homeschool families with education-related expenses. Opponents criticized the speed of the process, warned it could open the door to vouchers and charters, and argued it would mainly benefit wealthier donors while public schools remain underfunded. Members also questioned the bill’s waiver of 11th Amendment immunity and received explanations that the waiver was limited to federal-court jurisdiction over the federal program and would not create individual liability for state actors. A motion to table the bill failed with 19 votes in favor, and debate continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can we at least protect our children while they're learning?" And every single Republican said no.
• I think we're seeing some law enforcement that was skeptical of it early on.
• <00:13:06.600> You<00:13:06.720> know,<00:13:06.960> some skeptical of it early
• You know, some skeptical of it early on.
• <00:21:02.480> from like that, make it better, learn from like that, make it better, learn

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• are two treatments on the market, and they are designed to work with people who have what are called early
• People who develop Alzheimer's symptoms or dementia symptoms in their late 40s or early 50s.
• It may be early, it may be advanced, but those are the facts that the research shows.
• I'm starting to learn a little bit about that by reading some of our past state plans that have been
• But I'm starting to learn about that and thinking through those strategies and how we'll approach that

Transcript Highlights:

• You talked about, at one point, your early sign-ups. I thought you said they gave you $3,000.
• If we get the direction to move forward, we will conduct further hearings and learn from stakeholders
• That took Some weeks and months of close attention in the early part of this year.
• The largest contributors to our early DSGS program have typically diesel backup generators.
• We'd love to come by and take you up on your offer if you'd like to learn more about it.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on and have advocated for for this early on and have advocated for for this and<00:25:42.640> and
• And I think we've all learned, I know I've learned, what agencies are involved.
• The office would work with the agencies, and I think we've all learned, I know I've learned, what agencies
• So we've learned so much about disasters, mitigation, and things that are so important to Kentucky.
• So we've learned so much about disasters, mitigation, and things that are so important to Kentucky.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force opened its sixth meeting by approving the minutes and then taking up a presentation from University of Pikeville representatives and local leaders on an Eastern Kentucky Disaster Relief Center at Bear Mountain in Pike County. Speakers included Greg May, Rep. Ashley Tacket Laferty, Lori Worth, and Laura Damron. They described repeated flooding and other disasters in eastern Kentucky, the lack of a single prepared relief location, and the need for a centralized, elevated site that could serve as a flood and broader natural-disaster hub. The presenters said the Bear Mountain property, about 530 acres and well above flood levels, could support a multi-use facility combining disaster response functions with university and community uses. Proposed features included a command and communications center, distribution space, emergency shelter, medical and clinic support, food service, restroom facilities, RV hookups, and an indoor track/distribution building. They emphasized that the project would help avoid disrupting existing venues such as the Pikeville Expo Center and Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, while also supporting tourism and economic recovery. Committee members asked about community and emergency-management support, annual operating costs, and resilience standards such as tornado-related building codes. In response, the presenters said local stakeholders, including Appalachian Wireless, Pikeville Medical Center, Community Trust Bank, the city of Pikeville, and emergency management officials, had expressed support. They said the university planned to absorb some operating costs through multiple uses of the facility, community camps, and budgeted maintenance, and that construction documents were nearly complete with plans to begin building within months. After the presentation, the chair thanked the presenters and moved the committee into its recommendations discussion, noting the broader fiscal and humanitarian importance of disaster preparedness and resiliency and indicating that future legislation would likely follow from the task force’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it's still very early. I mean, yet. So, it's still very early.
• This significant subsidy helps to keep families in the workforce and ensures early learning experiences
• This significant subsidy helps to keep families in the workforce and ensures early learning experiences
• This significant subsidy helps to keep families in the workforce and ensures early learning experiences
• This significant subsidy helps to keep families in the workforce and ensures early learning experiences

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• spend more and more time in my office talking with them about their mental health and helping them learn
• ><00:07:47.120> and<00:07:47.360> helping<00:07:47.639> them<00:07:47.759> learn
• <00:07:48.000> to<00:07:48.159> cope health um and helping them learn to cope health
• um and helping them learn to cope with<00:07:48.720> stressors<00:07:49.720> uh<00:07:
• left data shows that rates of early left data shows that rates of early retirement<00:08:16.360>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> five<01:31:16.240> CDC-funded week we learned of five CDC-funded week we learned of five
• another language early in life.
• <01:50:27.720> learner all funding such as early learner all funding such as early learner
• We know children cannot learn when they do not feel safe.
• We know children cannot learn when they do not feel safe.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• styles from a child who diverse learning styles from a child who learned<00:14:27.600> to<00:
• about sexuality too early.
• <01:21:09.040> uh learning about sexuality too early uh learning about sexuality too early
• Um, I have heard people characterize that as learning about sexuality because you are learning about
• <01:26:41.239> um different ages and we grow we learn um different ages and we grow we learn

Bills: HF22, HF45

Keywords: parent's bill of rights, parental rights, minor consent, minors, parents, guardians, education rights, school records, home schooling, charter school, private school, health care consent, medical privacy, patient records, exam room access, biometric data, DNA samples, blood samples, mental health, physical health

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislative plan leaves that decision to the next governor early next year.
• Highlighting protecting funding for our public institutions of higher learning.
• That's why I'm asking that all early educators receive the full 4.31% COLA.
• Again, for all early educators, 4.31% COLA. Thank you.
• It's a safe place, a trusted space where children learn and feel safe.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders described as the compromise budget expected to move to the floor later that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core programs from federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget plan, saying it uses higher-than-expected revenues and reserve balances to reject some proposed reductions and fund temporary restorations and new spending in areas such as education, child care, health care, housing, homelessness, and public safety. Department of Finance representatives said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced framework and the effort to address out-year deficits, while noting the plan includes additional spending and revenue changes. Sisney also previewed floor bills including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125, with SB 122 described as a modification to the tax credit proposal and SB 125 as the managed care organization tax proposal. Subcommittee chairs then described the major policy choices in their areas. Health chair Addis said the budget responds to federal health care rollbacks by protecting Medi-Cal, clinics, hospitals, dental care, and other safety-net services, while also supporting reproductive care, gender-affirming care, and county health systems. Education chair Alvarez highlighted increased school funding, expanded learning, special education, teacher support, community colleges, and a change to Cal Grant eligibility for older community college students. Other chairs emphasized child care expansions, homelessness and housing funding, prison closure and criminal justice savings, wildfire mitigation, county support for Medi-Cal and CalFresh administration, and accountability measures tied to homelessness and corrections spending. Several members also raised concerns or priorities, including the impact of the MCO tax on providers, the need for more support for local journalism, transit and climate funding, biotech and R&D incentives, and continued work on Prop 98 and long-term revenue solutions. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, but members broadly expressed support for the budget framework and the need to continue negotiations with the administration before final passage. The committee discussion repeatedly framed the budget as a response to federal policy changes and a choice to protect vulnerable Californians while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The vice chair, citing LAO warnings about future volatility and limited reserves, pressed Finance on whether the budget represented a record-sized state budget and whether revenues were also at record levels, underscoring concerns about the state’s preparedness for a downturn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sarah Batchez with Children Now and Child Poverty, on behalf of the early learning and child care item
• My name is Andrew Avila of Early Edge California.
• My name is Andrew Avila of Early Edge California.
• Jonathan Wunios here on behalf of the Early Care and Education Coalition.
• I remember the first time I started on this committee, and it's a huge learning curve.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major topic was child care and early education, where the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance outlined proposed changes to absorb federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue reductions, shift some funding between child care programs, end funding for prospective pay implementation now that the federal requirement has been rescinded, adjust the alternative payment administration structure, and fund child care infrastructure grants and a Low-Income Investment Fund contract closeout. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the budget makes progress on the structural deficit but recommended maintaining the administration’s solution level, making reserve deposits, and avoiding new ongoing commitments; it also raised concerns about shifting reductions to the California Alternative Payment Program and about the proposed administrative-rate change. Committee members strongly criticized the proposed loss of child care slots and said they would oppose eliminating those slots, while also expressing support for child care as essential infrastructure. The committee then reviewed California State Preschool Program proposals. Finance and CDE described reductions to the preschool COLA from 2.41% to 2.01%, removal of prospective pay funding, and increases for the QRIS block grant, audit support, and rate reform implementation. Trailer bill language would codify age-based rate categories, inclusion-rate documentation, family fee collection rules, portability, and excused absences. CDE supported the QRIS increase and some attendance and family-fee changes, but warned that aligning three- and four-year-old rates could reduce support for three-year-olds and that the budget does not fully cover enrollment growth. Members also questioned whether the preschool and child care slot reductions should be reallocated rather than terminated, and the administration said the reductions were intended to reflect current utilization and avoid harm to currently enrolled families. The hearing then moved to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS said the May Revision includes a one-time CalFood augmentation, funding to cover federal SNAP administrative cost-share pressures, and additional staffing and technical assistance to implement HR 1 changes, including the able-bodied adults without dependents time limit and new non-citizen eligibility rules. The department estimated HR 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people, with roughly 806,000 adults potentially subject to the time limit and about 34,000 non-citizens expected to lose eligibility once fully implemented. Members pressed for stronger harm mitigation, including a $98 million backfill to protect families from losing food benefits, and raised concerns about county workload and the “chilling effect” on immigrant participation. The final portion of the transcript began the IHSS presentation, noting a revised budget of $33.7 billion total funds and $12.8 billion General Fund, with proposed reductions tied to Medi-Cal asset-limit changes and other federal conformity items.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:08:49.279> status, that, virtual learning status, that, virtual learning status, but but
• This is the if a student finishes the learning early, we get to give them credit for that Representative
• <01:27:49.120> So having a student there learning. So having a student there learning.
• And you think back to the early 80s, we had over 100,000 kids in K-12 education.
• And you think back to the early 80s, we had over 100,000 kids in K-12 education.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• government code to expand the allowable uses of the Broadband infrastructure fund to include these early
• Specifically, House Bill 18 expands the Broadband infrastructure Fund authorized uses to include early
• Like you, I spent 21 years as a firefighter and still had to learn how to be an emergency manager.
• What I learned in the fire academy did not prepare me for dealing with emergency management.
• The stick is you have to take the training, you have to learn how to, um, solve inoperability using the

Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB18, HB19, HB20

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• through digital learning.
• This bill enables flexible learning models. to promote promote work-based learning and apprenticeships
• But we learned a lot. the two that our students can learn virtually if given the opportunity and we know
• As someone who has learning disabilities, having a virtual learning opportunity would have been really
• I learned in law school that the law is a teacher.

Bills: SB 10, SB 11

Keywords: human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is how we learned she did not have a social work license.
• This is how we learned she did not have a social work license.
• about drainage out on the street and it's all learned trait.
• By early 2020, my life had spiraled out of control, and in early 2021 I had my first therapeutic psilocybin
• By early 2020, my life could spiral out of control that an early 21.

Bills: HF3454, HF3917, HF2906, HF3832, HF3769

Keywords: social work, licensure, employment titles, health occupations, professional standards, medication repository, drug donation, healthcare, Minnesota Statutes, pharmacy, public health, controlled substances, psilocybin, psilocin, psychedelic, psychedelic medicine, hallucinogen, mushrooms, magic mushrooms, therapeutic use

Transcript Highlights:

• I haven't had to prescribe Ivermectin to keep someone out of the hospital since early in 2022.
• I'm one who believes in traditional medicine, in the medicine I learned at George Washington...
• There’s about 3,000 doctors around the country who’ve learned natural procreative technology, which is
• from them, like I learn from my colleagues all the time.
• from them, like I learn from my colleagues all the time.

Summary: The committee first considered the confirmation of Dr. John Lattell to the Board of Medicine. In questioning, senators focused heavily on his views about abortion, vaccines, ivermectin, and the role of CDC/FDA guidance in board discipline cases. Dr. Lattell said the board applies Florida statutes and works through probable cause panels and legal counsel, but he also expressed strong pro-life views, skepticism of federal health guidance, and criticism of vaccines and some medical practices. Supporters praised his long medical career, military service, and family medicine background, while opponents argued his views could prevent him from being objective in disciplinary matters. The committee voted to recommend him for confirmation to the full Senate, with Senators Polsky and Ruson voting no. The committee then took up the confirmation of Taylor Hatch as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Hatch described her background in state human services and outlined priorities centered on accountability, data, lived experience, and improving service delivery. Senators asked about SNAP error rates, Hope Florida, legislative analyses, staffing, and the department’s handling of child welfare and medically complex cases. Hatch said the department was reducing SNAP error rates, that Hope Florida uses navigators to connect people with community resources and self-sufficiency supports, and that DCF is working with the Department of Health and other partners to improve investigations and accountability in child welfare. She also said the agency is reviewing medically complex cases and strengthening oversight of community-based care providers through contracts, audits, and proposed funding-model changes. A substantial portion of the Hatch discussion centered on whether the department had been responsive to legislative requests and whether it had provided timely bill analyses. Senators also pressed her on Hope Florida staffing, the number of participants served, and the Hope Florida Foundation’s compliance and legal oversight. Hatch said the foundation is undergoing a financial audit and that the department is relying on required reports and ongoing investigations. The transcript ends amid continued questioning about a community-based care contractor’s finances, related-party transactions, and whether further forensic audits or repayments are needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I haven't had to prescribe Ivermectin to keep someone out of the hospital since early in 2022.
• I'm one who believes in traditional medicine, in the medicine I learned at George Washington University
• There's about 3,000 doctors around the country who've learned natural procreative technology, which is
• from them, like I learn from my colleagues all the time.
• from them, like I learn from my colleagues all the time.

Summary: The committee first considered the confirmation of Dr. John Lattell to the Florida Board of Medicine. In questioning, senators focused heavily on his views on abortion, vaccines, ivermectin, hormonal birth control, and the role of CDC/FDA guidance in board discipline cases. Dr. Lattell said the board should apply Florida statutes, described himself as strongly pro-life and skeptical of some federal health guidance, and said he would be sympathetic when judging fellow physicians because of his own experience in practice. Supporters praised his medical background, military service, and family medicine experience, while opponents argued his stated views could affect his ability to fairly discipline other doctors. The committee voted 5-2 to recommend confirmation, with Senators Polsky and Rouson voting no. The committee then took up the confirmation of Taylor Hatch as Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Hatch outlined her background at DCF and APD and described department priorities including streamlining services, improving child welfare and behavioral health systems, expanding peer support, and reducing SNAP error rates. Members asked detailed questions about Hope Florida, the number and role of Hope Navigators, agency responsiveness on bill analyses, and accountability for community-based care contractors. Hatch said Hope Florida is a partnership-based navigation effort aimed at self-sufficiency, that 143 Hope Navigators are in place, and that the department is working to improve transparency and oversight through contracts, audits, and a proposed funding model. Senators also pressed Hatch on the Hope Florida Foundation’s compliance history and on forensic audits of community-based care agencies, especially Northwest Florida Health Network. Hatch said the foundation is now in compliance and under audit, and that the contractor had completed corrective actions and was operating within current accountability limits. She said DCF had not yet conducted new forensic audits under her tenure but was preparing another round and was considering using contracted-services dollars to support that work. The discussion ended with continued questioning on oversight, staffing, and whether the agency could provide more formal bill analyses going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Andy Nez, who helped champion our early childhood project.
• We were willing to pay them and have them come in and learn and help us.
• We've been learning a lot in the last six months.
• And as Chairwoman, I had one term in, and I'm still learning about the old news.
• I stepped out early to take a phone call, but I don't know if I missed it.