Transcript Highlights:

• We have the federal, the regional office is, uh, monitors the things that we do.

Bills: HB345, HB503, HB511, HB590, HB655, HB685, HB692, HB707, HB715, HB748, HB776, HB856, HB860, HB868, HB887, HB888, HB896, HB999, HB1000, HB1086, HB1233

Keywords: rail infrastructure, ports, Class II railroads, Class III railroads, transportation, HB 503, Act 554, Golden Meadow, utility terrain vehicle, UTV, recreational off-highway vehicle, ROV, golf cart, low-speed vehicle, road shoulder travel, local ordinance, municipal traffic regulation, vehicle registration decal, municipal general fund, insurance requirement

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation and Public Works met with five members present and approved the April 29, 2026 minutes. The committee then heard and reported a series of bills, including HB 1233, which lowers the contract threshold for hospital service districts using the Seymours program; HB 715, requiring aerial applicators operating from public airports to have transponders and radios and removing proposed ADS-B fee restrictions in favor of separate legislation; and HB 999, allowing impoundment of uninsured out-of-state vehicles. It also advanced HB 692 to let parishes and municipalities use group purchasing organizations, with an added sole-source procurement amendment for certain repairs and parts, and HB 511 to create a pursuit-intervention technology grant program, using a technical amendment to establish the fund structure. The committee also reported HB 590, creating a program to help law enforcement identify drivers with autism or other mental/physical disabilities through special envelopes and related notice technology; HB 503, a local bill cleaning up golf cart and utility terrain vehicle definitions in Golden Meadow; HB 655, authorizing DOTD cost-plus contracts for state-owned ferries; HB 748, clarifying that school board-owned or leased vehicles are exempt from tolls; HB 860, allowing fillable electronic bids; HB 896, addressing tolling rules and fees in Plaquemines Parish and requiring a nearby customer service center; and HB 1000, a cleanup bill on highway priority program reporting and local district contract limits. Later, the committee reported HB 887, which establishes a more consistent scoring and ranking framework for certain procurement processes, and HB 888, a cleanup bill on temporary tags and temporary license plates with added anti-counterfeiting and safety features. HB 1086, a major overhaul moving Louisiana toward a fully electronic vehicle title and lien system, was amended but voluntarily held for a week so members could review the extensive new language. The committee also reported HB 776, expanding port priority funding to larger projects and allowing flexibility in annual amounts, HB 707, shifting LPG commission promotional work to Agriculture and Forestry, HB 868, requiring safety chains or other manufacturer-specified safety equipment on farm trailers, HB 856, authorizing indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracting for DOTD maintenance and construction work, HB 345, adding rail infrastructure at ports to the rail improvement program, and HB 685, allowing transit agencies to use FAST Act cooperative procurement for buses and other rolling stock. At the end, the committee corrected its action on HB 856 by reconsidering and withdrawing the technical amendment set 2332 for later floor work, while leaving the bill reported with the department’s substantive amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mobile tracking devices help law enforcement monitor suspect vehicles and pinpoint the locations where
• Once he was able to cut off his ICE monitor and be on the run?
• SB 781 will likely interfere with monitoring duties by limiting the type of information accessible to
• the monitors, leading to deficient investigations. ...accessible to the monitors, leading to deficient
• the monitors, leading to deficient investigations. accessible to the monitors, leading to deficient

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice heard a series of bills focused on criminal procedure, public safety, victim protections, and law enforcement administration. SB 1537 would require criminal-proceeding interpreters to meet the same appointment standards used in the Government Code, and SB 993 would let the Comptroller’s Criminal Investigative Division seek mobile-tracking warrants directly in motor fuel theft and related tax-fraud investigations. SB 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notaries who notarize documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add continuing education for notaries. SB 1610 would tighten rules for civilly committed sexually violent predators at the Texas Civil Commitment Office, including penalties for new crimes and assaults on staff, sex-offender registration requirements, and removal of certain provisions from the filed version; the substitute reduced some of the harsher penalties and preserved parole/community-supervision eligibility. SB 836 would expand privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of certain trials, allowing pseudonyms earlier in the process, and protecting forensic exam evidence and invasive recordings under protective orders. SB 1563 would require county jailers to receive training on interacting with veterans, with testimony emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails. SB 906 would give the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo authority similar to other Texas tribes to commission peace officers under state law to enforce Texas laws on tribal land. SB 781 would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officers’ personal information and create a confidential departmental file system modeled on Chapter 143 civil-service practices, though members raised concerns about whether the bill could affect disciplinary records and existing disclosure rules. Testimony was largely supportive for the bills, especially from prosecutors, law enforcement representatives, victim advocates, and agency officials. Supporters of SB 693 described widespread deed fraud tied to improper notarizations; supporters of SB 836 stressed survivor privacy and the harms of livestreamed sexual-assault proceedings; supporters of SB 1563 said jailer training could help prevent veteran suicides and improve treatment; and supporters of SB 906 said state commissioning would improve public safety and coordination on tribal lands. SB 781 drew support from police and TCOLE witnesses who said the bill would extend confidentiality protections already used in civil-service departments, while some members questioned whether the bill duplicated existing law or could be read to shield misconduct information. Public testimony included opposition to SB 1610 from a civil-rights advocate who urged waiting for Sunset review, and opposition to SB 781 from a family member of a person killed by police, who objected to expanding confidentiality for officers. Several bills were left pending after testimony because the committee lacked a quorum or chose to hold them for later action.

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Transcript Highlights:

• Mobile tracking devices help law enforcement monitor suspect vehicles and pinpoint the locations where
• Once he was able to cut off his ICE monitor and be on the run?
• SB 781 will likely interfere with monitoring duties by limiting the type of information accessible to
• the monitors, leading to deficient investigations. ...accessible to the monitors, leading to deficient
• the monitors, leading to deficient investigations. accessible to the monitors, leading to deficient

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice bills focused on victim protections, law enforcement tools, notary/deed fraud, sexually violent predators, veterans in jail, tribal policing authority, and peace officer records. Several bills were laid out, heard, and left pending because the committee lacked a quorum for final action on those items. Testimony was generally supportive on bills addressing interpreter appointments, fuel theft investigations, deed fraud, survivor privacy, veteran jailer training, tribal peace officer authority, and officer-record confidentiality, though some bills drew concerns about due process, scope, or drafting. Senate Bill 1537 would clean up criminal procedure language on appointing interpreters and align it with Government Code standards requiring licensed or certified interpreters; it received no public opposition and was left pending. Senate Bill 993 would let Comptroller Criminal Investigative Division officers directly seek warrants for mobile tracking devices in fuel-theft and tax-fraud investigations; it also drew support and was left pending. Senate Bill 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notarizing documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add notary continuing education; a Dallas County prosecutor testified that notary fraud is a major driver of deed theft, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1610, as substituted, would address safety, registration, and criminal penalties at the Texas Civil Commitment Office for sexually violent predators, including assaults on staff and sex-offender registration issues; agency witnesses described increased assaults and operational problems, while a public witness urged waiting for Sunset review and raised due-process concerns. Senate Bill 836 would add privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of trials, expanding pseudonym use, and protecting forensic exam and invasive-recording evidence; survivors and advocates strongly supported it, and defense lawyers said they had no opposition to the substitute. Senate Bill 1563 would require county jailer training on interacting with veterans, with testimony from the Texas Veterans Commission and veterans’ advocates emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 906, which would authorize the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribal police to be commissioned as Texas peace officers like two other federally recognized tribes in Texas; tribal leaders said the change would improve response times and coordination, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 781, as substituted, would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officer personnel and departmental files statewide, mirroring Chapter 143 civil-service practices; law enforcement witnesses supported it as a way to protect personal information and create uniform records practices, but several senators raised concerns that the bill could blur existing disclosure rules or bury misconduct complaints, and public testimony included an opposition witness describing a police shooting involving her brother.

Transcript Highlights:

• Green said, that the newer technology using GIS and GPS is new, but if you look at the definition of
• Use modern methods when you put on the GPS that they're able to have. GPS is one tool.
• Use modern methods when you put on the GPS that they're able to have. GPS is one tool.
• that they're able to have on uh the GPS that they're able to have GPS<00:23:38.200> is<00:23:
• 38.360> one GPS is one GPS is one Tool<00:23:40.120> uh<00:23:40.360> they're<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate File 59, authored by Senator Green, which would require counties to locate and restore original public land survey monuments and related boundary markers. Green argued that newer GIS/GPS-based surveys have sometimes shifted long-established property lines, creating disputes for landowners, counties, and state agencies. He described examples involving his own property and constituents, including a case where a neighbor allegedly lost access to a well and septic system after a new survey and another where a landowner was told he was farming school trust land based on a newer plat reference. Testimony in support came from Allan Roger Olen, who said a newer survey changed his family’s property lines and created a dispute over land, a building permit, and ownership of well and septic systems. Senator Green also said county plat books are not legally binding and that the bill is intended to force counties to find original monuments before more disputes arise. Committee members raised concerns from the Association of Minnesota Counties about the bill’s timeline, funding, and requirement that counties employ a land surveyor. Green responded that counties had already been told to hire surveyors in some disputes, acknowledged the funding concerns, and said he would look for funding sources while emphasizing protection of property rights. A committee member who teaches surveying explained that adverse possession is a real legal doctrine in Minnesota and noted that restoring all monuments would cost far more than the $10 million already appropriated, estimating the total need at about $300 million. Phil Reigns of the Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors testified that the Public Land Survey System underlies Minnesota’s land tenure system, that the original monuments were set mostly between 1850 and 1908, and that surveyors aim to restore them as accurately as possible using historical records and modern tools. He said the work is expensive because many counties lack staff surveyors and must hire consultants. Members discussed whether the bill would create boundary conflicts or authorize counties to alter lines, and Green said his intent was to restore original monuments and avoid litigation. Co-Chair Lang moved that Senate File 59, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Judiciary. The motion prevailed on a voice vote. Afterward, the committee began receiving an overview from the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , including traffic enforcement, lifestyle patterns, or GPS.
• , including traffic enforcement, lifestyle patterns, or GPS.
• Cameras to help monitor people coming in and out of large events.
• It's not to inhibit the ability to use drones to monitor crowd movements, things like that.
• This framing matters because these systems enable the continuous monitoring of people.

Bills: HB2015, HB2060, HB2062, HB2100, HB2118, HB2165, HB2258, HB2327, HB2397, HB2445, HB2460, HB2641, HB2745, HB2876, HB2917, HB4011, HB4049, HB4056, HB4087, HCR2013, HCR2016, HCR2040, HCR2044, HCR2048, HCR2056

Keywords: budget procedures, late filing penalty, accounting standards, financial reporting, state appropriations, abortion, educational institutions, health education, state aid, public schools, Buffalo Soldiers, monument, commemoration, Arizona, public funding, Wesley Bolin Plaza, military history, historical memorial, small land subdivision, land use

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from the prior meetings and then took up several measures, beginning with HCR 2013, which would proclaim June 2026 as Celebrate Life Month in Arizona. The resolution drew emotional testimony in support from Crystal Cooper and Bella Stockton, both of whom shared personal stories about living with spina bifida and argued for celebrating life and supporting people with disabilities. Senator Kennedy voted no, saying the resolution was symbolic and did not address practical supports such as paid family leave, health care, housing, and school meals. The committee ultimately gave HCR 2013 a due pass recommendation on a 4-1 vote, with two members not voting. The committee then advanced HB 2327, as amended, clarifying protections for eligible persons’ identifying information in county recorder records and explicitly excluding voter registration records from the confidentiality provisions. Representative Hendricks said the bill was intended to fix problems created by earlier language protecting elected officials and first responders. The committee also passed HB 2258, which adds La Paz County to the Tourism Advisory Council’s geographic area, with no opposition testimony. A longer debate followed on HB 2397, which expands HOA/condominium disclosure requirements for prospective buyers, including bylaws, declarations, plats, meeting minutes, and information about assessments and known defects. Representative Biasucci said the bill was about transparency for buyers, while the Arizona Association of Community Managers raised concerns about cost and the scope of the disclosure requirements; the Arizona Homeowners Coalition supported the bill but opposed an amendment that would require managers to be on site for capital projects. The committee adopted two Hoffman amendments and then gave HB 2397 a due pass as amended recommendation. The committee also passed HB 2015, which imposes penalties on state agencies that miss federal audit reporting deadlines, and HB 4049, which changes how the Attorney General represents DCS in cases alleging misconduct; both drew opposition over concerns about punitive penalties and existing conflict procedures. Later, the committee approved HB 4087, authorizing a memorial plaque for former legislator Barbara Love, and HB 2100, which allows counties to authorize certain small land subdivisions, despite objections that it could weaken water-supply protections. The committee then passed HB 2460, as amended, preempting local ordinances that penalize businesses for abandoned or stolen movable property such as shopping carts; supporters argued cities were charging victims of theft, while cities and towns said the bill would undercut local nuisance enforcement and shift costs to taxpayers. Finally, the committee began hearing HCR 2056, a proposed constitutional referral recognizing a right to refuse medical mandates, with Representative Cooper and supporters framing it as bodily autonomy and opponents warning it would weaken public health protections, especially in schools and during outbreaks.

Transcript Highlights:

• Data sharing, use of analytics, monitoring tools such as GPS, biometrics, cameras must be leveraged.
• Data sharing, use of analytics, monitoring tools such as GPS, biometrics, cameras must be leveraged.
• Use of GPS, cameras, biometrics.
• > is A strong monitoring component is A strong monitoring component is essential<00:09:26.959>
• the monitors. Representative Hudson. the monitors. Representative Hudson.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Judge Tim O’Malley, Minnesota’s director of program integrity, presented a roadmap to program integrity and fraud prevention built around nine areas for improvement, including leadership and culture, stronger program controls, better coordination among agencies and prosecutors, training, technology modernization, independent oversight, stakeholder engagement, and expanded resources. He said long-standing vulnerabilities in state programs have been exploited by organized criminals, and argued the state must shift from reactive enforcement to front-end prevention, faster detection, and recovery of improper payments. He emphasized that modern data sharing and analytics are especially urgent, and said oversight and accountability are essential for lasting change. Fay Bernstein, a long-time DHS employee, testified that she experienced retaliation after raising contract compliance concerns years ago. She said she was removed from the building, barred from DHS property, investigated for months, and accused of racism and threatening leadership, which she denied. Bernstein argued DHS leadership lacks a fraud-prevention mindset and said the department’s culture punishes employees who speak up, while serious program failures have harmed vulnerable Minnesotans. She called for major leadership changes and firings at DHS. Members questioned O’Malley about whether fraud was driven more by sophisticated criminals or by weaknesses in state systems. He said the vulnerabilities have existed for a long time and organized criminal groups are taking advantage of them, especially where data sharing is weak. Members also pressed him on whistleblower protections and retaliation; O’Malley said he should have included the legislature among places employees can report concerns, and said complaints should be thoroughly investigated with accurate information and appropriate consequences for supervisors who fail to act, ranging from coaching to termination depending on the case. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• soil moisture. to predict droughts and floods, wildfire detection, and coastal processes which we monitor
• The Texas seismic monitoring and seismology research program is a multidisciplinary program funded by
• Texas' mission is to serve as an independent scientific body. that monitors earthquake activity, analyzes
• We had very primitive and limited. limited data monitoring system.
• And these folks do not have the time to monitor.

Bills: HB206, HB 1285, HB1335, HJR107, HB206

Keywords: pipeline, construction, cash bond, county authority, local government, HB 1285, Railroad Commission of Texas, RRC, drones, unmanned aircraft, UAS, drone inspections, oil and gas, pipeline inspection, surface mining, well sites, tank batteries, disposal wells, injection sites, natural resources

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'll tell you a little bit more about our contract monitoring a little bit later in the presentation
• As I mentioned earlier, we also provide contract monitoring services when the Legislature has directed
• As I mentioned earlier, we also provide contract monitoring services when the legislature has directed
• The first is government program summaries, or GPS.
• financial statements where you can compare the original and final budgets and see how the entity monitored

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries. Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs. OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as our committee substitute No. 1 explains, the use of a GPS to find out where you are, especially
• But again, my committee substitute No. 1 covers the GPS. We want them to be able to get home.
• And as our committee substitute No. 1 explains, the use of a GPS to find out where you are, especially
• But again, my committee substitute No. 1 covers the GPS. We want them to be able to get home.
• we want them to be able to get home GPS we want them to be able to get home it<00:09:19.680> also

Keywords: Roll Call 00:13 Approval of Minutes 00:44 SB 99 Discussion 03:30 SB 99 Vote 12:45 Administrative Regs 17:56, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and heard a personal privilege statement praising Transportation Cabinet staff for helping a constituent obtain a Kentucky Uniform ID in time to board a cruise. The chair also recognized special guests and noted a page for the day. The main bill taken up was Senate Bill 99, with a committee substitute adopted before discussion. Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Senator Douglas, would strengthen Kentucky’s distracted-driving laws by prohibiting the use of personal communication devices to write, send, or read texts while operating a motor vehicle, with exceptions for emergency or public safety use and certain reporting or medical situations. The committee substitute clarified that GPS use remains allowed, including for younger drivers, and the bill also bars anyone under 18 from using a device in any manner while driving, sets a $100 fine with no points, and imposes a 90-day license revocation for minors. Supportive testimony and comments emphasized pedestrian and roadway safety, the dangers of distracted driving, and the bill’s alignment with existing CDL-related restrictions. After discussion, the committee voted on Senate Bill 99 by roll call and reported it favorably with the committee substitute attached. Members explaining their votes said the measure would save lives, reflected practices already used in trucking and bus operations, and was a reasonable enforcement approach similar to prior seat belt laws. The committee then received an informational update on five Transportation Cabinet administrative regulations, which were described as updates for federal compliance, signage standards, truck weight-limit renumbering, an OHV pilot program extension, and expanded electronic review of title applications; no substantive objections were raised. The meeting concluded with discussion of adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And coastal processes, which we monitor with our airborne LDA system.
• All monitoring systems are autonomous and provide real-time data 24/7.
• Seismic monitoring is important.
• We had very primitive, um, and limited, uh, data monitoring system.
• And these folks do not have the time to monitor emails.

Bills: HB206

Keywords: HB206, school district bonds, bond election, voter approval, Education Code, Chapter 45, Section 45.003, Section 45.0034, Texas schools, school finance, local tax election, bond referendum, school construction, capital improvements, election frequency, five-year waiting period, district bonds, public school funding

Bills: HB3407, HB1242, HJR1081, HB3443, HB3781, HB1939, HB4237, HB3430, HB3321, HB3905, HB3329, HB4253, HB4421, HB4311, HJR1046, HB2015, HB3244, HB4265, HB3941, HB4203, HB2941, HB3695, HB3380, HB3132, HB3673, HB3134, HB3383, HB4490, HB4058

Keywords: property rights, abandoned homes, manufactured homes, notification, salvage, real estate, Oklahoma Tax Commission, landowner liability, redemption, HB1242, cervidae, deer, elk, sales tax exemption, agricultural exemption, livestock, ranching, farm tax, agricultural sales tax, agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• institutions discreetly disclose to DHS the facility's policies regarding the use of electronic monitoring
• devices and other monitoring technology in resident rooms, personal spaces, and common areas, and notify
• monitoring whenever the person does not have a permanent residence, and with that I'm available for
• members, Senate Bill 1402 requires the court to impose a fee on probationers who are on electronic monitoring
• and who meet certain conditions in order to offset the cost of the monitoring device.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long agenda of Senate bills across elections, commerce, education, government, health and human services, judiciary, public safety, transportation, rural development, and ways and means. Many measures were described as consent or third-read consent items, including bills on campaign finance termination statements and late-report penalties, AI provenance data for media, adjuster/contractor conduct during emergencies, Industrial Commission changes, association meeting closures, banking and remittance rules, central bank digital currency, public safety parity funding, barbering and cosmetology board continuation, digital asset reserve management, contractor licensing, gaming and racing commission continuation, school AED instruction, classroom removal procedures, school safety reporting, special education complaint transparency, foreign influence and land ownership restrictions, DCS and DES process changes, health care licensing and reimbursement rules, EMS compact adoption, and multiple tax, housing, and transportation measures. Staff repeatedly summarized each bill and answered questions, with several bills noted as mirror or identical to House measures or as strike-everything amendments from committees. A few bills drew discussion. On SB 2874, staff explained that the Senate amendment would limit penalties for untimely campaign finance reports when a committee certifies it received no contributions and made no expenditures, but the sponsor did not concur. SB 1074 prompted questions about whether parental notification changed; staff said it did not and that the bill was aimed at improving communication between teachers and principals about discipline. SB 1175, requiring DCS caseworkers to photograph children at each interaction in abuse or neglect cases, drew concern about the scope of the photos, while supporters said it would improve continuity and documentation. SB 1180 also drew comment because the sponsor and committee chair disagreed over an amendment, though the bill was advanced for further work. The most extended debate came on SB 1751, which would allow death-row inmates to choose firing squad, lethal injection, or lethal gas if voters approve the related constitutional measure. One member strongly opposed the bill on moral and personal grounds, another argued it could be a more humane option if the state is going to carry out executions, and a third raised concern that it could be used against Second Amendment rights. The bill remained on the third-read consent calendar despite the objections. The caucus concluded after moving through the remaining agenda items, with no formal votes recorded in the transcript beyond committee status and consent-calendar placement.

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS IS AN EASILY ADDRESSED ISSUE BY FACILITATING EASIER ACCESS TO AT-HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS, WE
• By facilitating easier access to at-home blood pressure monitors, we can help expecting parents identify
• Most new cars now come with a GPS built in.
• MOST NEW CARS NOW COME WITH A GPS. BUILT IN.
• And GPS data, for example, I'm driving to an emergency room, would not fall within that definition. >

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the journal, and then moved through a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills for third reading. The chamber also received and accepted a Finance Committee report on nominations for Kathleen Mosier as Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Terrence O’Leary as Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and John Kagia as Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management. All three nominees were confirmed, with Mosier and O’Leary confirmed unanimously and Kagia confirmed 57-1, with Senator Walczyk voting no. The Senate adopted previously approved resolutions recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and mourning the death of Susan Irene Wright of Harlem. Senators Brisport and Bottcher spoke at length in support of Pride Month, emphasizing LGBTQ+ history, resilience, and ongoing threats to the trans community. On the Susan Wright resolution, Senators Cleare, Bailey, and Bottcher praised her community leadership, philanthropy, and family legacy, and Assembly Member Jordan Wright was recognized in the chamber. The body then considered and passed many bills on the calendar, including measures on insurance, environmental conservation, public health, education, business law, labor, social services, highway law, and local tax exemptions. Several bills drew brief explanations of vote, including a measure to end higher insurance premiums for widows, a bill to prohibit correctional facilities from denying visitation because of menstrual products or IUDs, and a Medicaid-related bill to expand access to blood pressure monitors for pregnant people. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable opposition from a small group of senators. Late in the session, the Senate took up a proposed constitutional amendment on redistricting. Senator Stewart-Cousins sponsored the measure, and Senator Walczyk questioned it extensively, arguing voters had previously approved an independent redistricting process and objecting to changes that would remove the Legislature’s two-thirds map-approval requirement and alter the commission’s role. The sponsor said the changes were needed in response to aggressive partisan redistricting in other states and would still require voter ratification in future sessions. The transcript ends during that debate, with no final vote on the amendment shown.

Bills: HR207, SB2595, SB3199, SB3132, SB2591, SB2089, SB2108, SB2970, SB2530, SB2442, SB3076, SB2532, SB2721, SB2055, SB2312, SB2152, SB2438, SB2982, SB2528, SB2919, SB2446, SB2315, SB2544, SB2060, SB2069, SB3011, SB2342, SB2075, SB2578, SB2580, SB2835, SB3084, SB3322, SB3053, SB888, SB709

Keywords: Dr. David Lassner, higher education, community engagement, university leadership, innovation, Hawaii education system, agribusiness, leasing, agriculture, Hawaii, food innovation, Department of Education, mental health, emerging therapies, psychedelic treatment, task force, clinical trials, trauma recovery, MDMA, psilocybin

Bills: HR207, SB2595, SB3199, SB3132, SB2591, SB2089, SB2108, SB2970, SB2530, SB2442, SB3076, SB2532, SB2721, SB2055, SB2312, SB2152, SB2438, SB2982, SB2528, SB2919, SB2446, SB2315, SB2544, SB2060, SB2069, SB3011, SB2342, SB2075, SB2578, SB2580, SB2835, SB3084, SB3322, SB3053, SB888, SB709

Keywords: Dr. David Lassner, higher education, community engagement, university leadership, innovation, Hawaii education system, agribusiness, leasing, agriculture, Hawaii, food innovation, Department of Education, mental health, emerging therapies, psychedelic treatment, task force, clinical trials, trauma recovery, MDMA, psilocybin

Transcript Highlights:

• Another comment that I want to make is the GIS concept and the GPS concept.
• GPS, for example, I'm a pilot, and with airplanes the best location you can get with GPS is about a cubic
• So a surveyor out in the field with the portable GPS, or a GPS in your car, is probably 40 feet off at
• 00:59:40.480> your<00:59:40.680> car<00:59:41.480> is portable GPS or a GPS in your
• car is portable GPS or a GPS in your car is probably<00:59:43.799> 40<00:59:44.160> feet

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This would task the LBFC with conducting a comprehensive study of the electronic monitoring system as
• House Resolution 547 would authorize the LBFC to analyze all facets of electronic monitoring, including
• GPS, continuous alcohol monitoring, and home confinement systems across pretrial, continuous alcohol
• monitoring and home confinement systems across pretrial release, probation, parole, and county programs
• Across the nation, programs that incorporate electronic monitoring have shown the potential to maintain

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, guest recognitions, and a quorum call before moving into committee reports and floor action. Committees reported a number of bills and resolutions, including measures from Local Government, Energy, Health, Judiciary, Appropriations, Rules, and Finance. The chamber also announced caucus and committee meetings, then recessed and later reconvened for final consideration of legislation. Several bills passed the House finally, including House Bill 2299 on body cameras for county probation officers, House Bill 167 designating a scenic byway along Allegheny River Boulevard, House Bill 95 requiring disclosure when content or advertising is generated or substantially modified by artificial intelligence, House Bill 1944 expanding medical amnesty and Good Samaritan protections on campuses, House Bill 2443 creating a child victim recovery fund, House Bill 246 updating references from the Public Welfare Code to the Human Services Code, and House Bill 2586 establishing title protection for music therapists. The House also adopted House Resolution 463 recognizing Korean-American Citizenship Day, House Resolution 499 recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day, and House Resolution 547 directing a study of electronic monitoring as an alternative to incarceration. The House spent significant time on amendments to House Bill 133, which concerns reinstatement of parental rights, and House Bill 138, which addresses parental incarceration and termination of parental rights. Both bills received bipartisan amendments adding guardrails and exceptions, and the amendments were adopted unanimously. The chamber also debated House Bill 2224, the Fair Act, with multiple amendments on utility rates, return on equity, and scope; some amendments were adopted, several tied votes failed, and the bill was left amended for reprinting. House Bill 2544, dealing with school administrators’ rights and negotiations, saw an amendment to allow individual bargaining, but that amendment failed and the bill was agreed to. The session ended with a correction to the record on House Bill 1944, a motion to recommit several bills to Appropriations, and adjournment until June 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• such as you see in the lower left, unmanned vehicles underwater that can accomplish tasks as well as monitor
• such as you see in the lower left, unmanned vehicles underwater that can accomplish tasks as well as monitor
• type of thing, within the data science and the big data and artificial intelligence side of ocean monitoring
• Jack to share that story because these glasses that I'm wearing, and probably the ones that you have, GPS

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary heard a presentation on Florida’s maritime and ocean economy from Florida Atlantic University, the College of the Florida Keys, and Star Center. Speakers emphasized the importance of maritime industries such as aquaculture, marine engineering, shipbuilding, transportation, coastal resilience, and offshore renewable energy, and described workforce programs, certifications, and partnerships designed to train students and workers for these fields. They also highlighted federal and state initiatives supporting ocean economy research and commercialization, including tech hubs and innovation programs. The committee then considered SB 312 relating to the Florida Institute of Human and Machine Cognition. Senator Gates explained that the bill would allow IHMC to create a subsidiary to commercialize research, similar to Moffitt Cancer Center. Senator Fine offered and the committee adopted a friendly amendment addressing board membership concerns tied to a University of West Florida trustee. However, after questions arose about whether the bill and analysis aligned on whether subsidiaries would be for-profit or not-for-profit, the bill was tabled. Finally, the committee took up SB 270 on the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The bill would extend eligibility for students in certain military/public-service family situations, giving families more time to establish Florida residency after returning to the state. Senator Fine’s amendment was adopted to add AP Capstone Diploma students to the automatic Bright Futures eligibility provisions, alongside IB and Cambridge AICE students. The committee then reported the bill favorably as amended by a vote of 7-0, and adjourned.