Transcript Highlights:

• I asked the sheriff this; I will ask you today.
• We have for sheriffs, three police chiefs.
• The Sheriff said it should be on criminal aliens.
• Our sheriffs and police chiefs are doing an amazing job.
• All of our sheriffs deserve our thanks.

Bills: SJR36, SR8, SR14, SR15, SR17, HCR54

Keywords: accountants, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, advocacy, legislation, business issues, memorial, law enforcement, sacrifice, tribute, community support, service, community, Holocaust, remembrance, antisemitism, human rights, education, Holocaust Remembrance Day, memorialization, sexual assault

Transcript Highlights:

• Kenneth, I know you've had conversations with the sheriff and some others this morning about this.
• None of our sheriffs who are currently elected took the idea knowing that the revenue generated from
• There's no longer a way we can fund the sheriffs on the backs of the state dollar.
• So the $2 fee is brought by the sheriff, and this is where I'll end.
• our elected officials, I mean all. all of our elected officials, I mean all of them, including the sheriff

Bills: SB314

Keywords: motor vehicle fees, Shelby County, law enforcement funding, registration fees, county commission, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment caps the guardian training fees at the actual cost to the sheriff.
• from some of those who were very involved in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission, as well as Sheriff
• And I know Sheriff G., Sheriff G., Sheriff G., has been intricately involved in this.
• question, I would say, you know, and actually Chair Pizzo was just referencing that if the deputy sheriff
• , who was obviously exempt as the deputy sheriff, but if his information was available post-Parkland,

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met with a quorum present and took up three bills. SB 1618, by Senator Calatayud, was presented as a broad education package affecting VPK through grade 12. It included changes to VPK enrollment flexibility, repeal of the Council for Early Grade Success, agriculture and financial literacy curriculum updates, reading intervention requirements, limits on certain public-school spending, corporal punishment consent, educator certification and screening provisions, and changes to the school recognition program. A late-filed technical amendment clarifying prior legislation for certain private schools in Brevard, Clay, Sarasota, and Bradford counties was adopted. Senator Osgood raised concerns about the bill’s school recognition provisions and the impact on paraprofessionals and other support staff, and the sponsor said she would continue those discussions. SB 1618, as amended, was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 1058, which would update Florida references from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state, district, and charter school materials beginning after July 1, 2025, without requiring existing materials to be changed. The bill was presented by Senator Calatayud on behalf of Senator Gruters and was reported favorably without amendment or opposition. Next, the committee heard CS for SB 1470 on school safety, which would align school security guard training with guardian program requirements, refine locked campus and classroom rules, and improve panic alert and digital map coordination. Several amendments were adopted, including a late-filed amendment capping guardian training fees, creating a stakeholder work group for a Florida Institute of School Safety, adjusting locked-zone requirements and exceptions, requiring substitute teachers to receive safety protocol training, and a funding amendment providing $450,000 in recurring funds for a centralized panic alert and digital map system. Support was voiced by school district, sheriff, and safety representatives, and Senator Osgood praised the recurring funding as avoiding an unfunded mandate. The committee also passed SB 1472, linked to SB 1470, extending a public records exemption to school security guards’ records held by FDLE, with the exemption set to sunset in 2030 unless renewed. President Gaetz questioned the need for the exemption, and Senator Burgess responded that it was intended to protect school safety personnel from exposure of personal information after an incident. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, currently, what... the county sheriff has jurisdiction...
• The county sheriff would still have jurisdiction...
• The sheriff would still have jurisdiction over the property.
• So, they can't stop the sheriff from coming into the county. Thank you.
• The sheriff may only expend these fees for law enforcement purposes.

Bills: HB43, SB81, SB178, SB138, SB89, SB183, HB27, HB188, HB199, HB190, SB117, HB43, HB27

Keywords: criminal procedure, split sentencing, probation, Class A felony, Class B felony, minimum confinement, custodial sexual misconduct, sexual misconduct, inmate abuse, prisoner exploitation, correctional staff, jail staff, detention center, probation officer, parole officer, Department of Corrections, Department of Youth Services, sheriff, county jail, municipal jail

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, HB 26 allows a... a sheriff, a county sheriff or constable, to enter into a contract with
• The bill also prohibits the Commissioner's Court from prohibiting or otherwise restricting a sheriff
• The sheriff was also involved in this, and the constables of both counties.
• Constable to the county's general revenue fund or other county account, prohibiting the Office of Sheriff
• spending money appropriated to the office for any unlawful purpose or prohibiting or restricting the sheriff

Bills: HB8, HB26, HB192

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• bill codifies an existing law enforcement program in Harris County, specifically, HB 26 allows a sheriff
• The bill also prohibits the commissioner's court from prohibiting or otherwise restricting a sheriff
• The sheriff also was involved in this. and the constables of both parties approached the house and got
• enforcement agencies and probits the county from transferring money appropriated to the Office of Sheriff
• Constable to the county's general revenue fund or other county account, prohibiting the Office of Sheriff

Bills: HB8, HB26, HB192

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• They do not, remember, we have sheriffs that might be 30 and we have sheriffs that might be 70.
• They do not, remember, we have sheriffs that might be 30 and we have sheriffs that might be 70.
• > might<00:41:56.160> be 30 and we have sheriffs that might be 30 and we have sheriffs
• Every sheriff in this get physical.
• <00:42:40.079> elected sheriffs in this state elected sheriffs in this state elected positions

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sheriff Dana Witt, Hennepin County.
• I want to pass it over to our sheriff. Sheriff Whit: Thank you. And thank you, Representative.
• I want to pass it over to our sheriff. Sheriff Whit: Thank you. And thank you, Representative.
• I want to pass it over to our sheriff. Sheriff Whit: Thank you. And thank you, Representative.
• Thank you, Sheriff, for coming.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Not 29, not 28, not 31, 33 sheriffs. 33 sheriffs in the state of New Mexico voted to endorse this bill
• I know my county sheriff supports this bill.
• I know my county sheriff supports this bill.
• Every single one of your sheriffs, every lawmaker in this room, your sheriff, constitutionally elected
• And my sheriff is Shane Ferrari.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, I think also, Department and go to the sheriff for services.
• So computer systems, it gets technical, and technically the bailiffs, who are sheriffs, the sheriffs
• We did not include the sheriff in our math.
• most contentious one, maybe once every six or seven years, is the sheriff.
• We have a great working relationship with our sheriff.

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes heard first from city representatives through the Florida League of Cities, who argued that property taxes are a stable local revenue source that funds core services such as police, fire, parks, public works, and stormwater work. Casey Cook emphasized that cities are optional governments with widely different tax bases and service levels, that exemptions shift the burden to fewer taxpayers, and that transparency already exists through TRIM notices, public budgets, and local hearings. Sarah Campbell of Fernandina Beach, T. Michael Stavris of Winter Haven, and Stephen O’Kee of Port St. Lucie described their budget processes, the share of general-fund revenue coming from property taxes, reserve policies, debt and capital planning, and the impact of inflation, minimum wage increases, and personnel costs. They all said local governments need predictable revenue and that any property tax changes would require careful consideration of replacement funding or service reductions. Members questioned the city panel about whether homebuyers are clearly informed about city versus county taxes and services, the role of HOAs, how many lobbyists cities employ, reserve levels, average salaries, and whether utility revenues are used only for utility purposes. The panel said TRIM notices, realtor listings, and city websites provide tax information; HOAs generally do not provide emergency services; lobbyists help local governments track Tallahassee legislation; reserves vary by city and fund; and utility revenues are generally restricted, though some cities use limited transfers. Members also asked about revenue replacement if ad valorem taxes were reduced or eliminated, and the panel said options would likely include user fees, service cuts, or other local revenue shifts. The chair also asked about public safety consolidation, and the response was that such decisions are local and may shift costs rather than create true savings. The committee then heard from county representatives after an overview by the Florida Association of Counties’ Davin Suggs, who framed counties as shared partners with the state and emphasized the gap between rising market values and the shrinking share of taxable value after exemptions and assessment limits. He said counties face a mismatch between revenue based on taxable value and expenses driven by real-world costs, and noted that most counties either held millage steady or lowered it without reaching rollback rates. He also highlighted that property taxes are only one part of county revenue, with charges for services and intergovernmental revenue often larger in some counties, and that public safety at the county level includes more than law enforcement, such as EMS, emergency management, inspections, and corrections. Deborah Manzo of Okeechobee County described a fiscally constrained rural county with limited staff, a county-supported airport, heavy reliance on property taxes for the general fund, and major cost pressures from inflation, insurance, retirement, and state and federal mandates. She said the county lowered millage slightly over recent years but still depends on multiple revenue sources and special assessments, and she flagged Medicaid, medical examiner costs, and possible firefighter workweek changes as significant concerns. Bay County Administrator Mark McQueen said his county’s budget is shaped by Hurricane Michael recovery, non-discretionary obligations, and rapid growth; he described ongoing FEMA reimbursement delays, substantial borrowing to cover disaster costs, and continuing interest expenses while the county waits for reimbursement. The county panel was still in progress when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:11.240> association I know that the sheriffs association I know that the sheriffs association
• just for the record, what the sheriffs just for the record, what the sheriffs association<00:09:
• There's a reason that the sheriffs has expressed concern and all the other concerns.
• There's a reason that the sheriffs has expressed concern and all the other concerns.
• There's a reason that the sheriffs has expressed concern and all the other concerns.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a seven-member council: four sheriffs, three police chiefs, and the head of the FDLE.
• And, by the way, the sheriffs today did come out and support this particular plan.
• .credibility in our local sheriffs, our local law enforcement officers, our sheriffs are not the issue
• Senators, yesterday we heard from Sheriff Galtieri and others about 287(g) programs.
• All of our sheriffs deserve our thanks.

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the reading of an amended joint proclamation expanding the Legislature’s immigration agenda. The proclamation added items calling for financial penalties for government officials, enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed by illegal aliens, and programs and appropriations to support law enforcement in enforcing federal immigration law. The chamber then took up the special order calendar, beginning with Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2B, the immigration bill. Most of the meeting was devoted to debate and questions on the strike-all amendment to SB 2B. Sponsor Senator Gruters described the bill as a broad immigration enforcement package aligned with President Trump’s agenda. He said it would require greater cooperation with federal immigration authorities, strengthen participation in the 287(g) program, create a chief immigration officer and council, authorize financial penalties for noncompliance, provide bonuses for officers assisting ICE, and direct information-sharing with federal agencies. He also said the bill would bar DHSMV from issuing licenses or ID cards to unauthorized aliens and would end in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Senators Polsky, Pizzo, Smith, Jones, Berman, Osgood, and others questioned the scope of the bill, whether it would affect schools, churches, cities, nonprofits, and green-card holders, and how the 287(g) provisions would work in practice. Gruters repeatedly said the operational focus was on jails and detention facilities, not street-level enforcement. A major point of controversy was the bill’s proposed mandatory death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of certain capital offenses. Senator Fine said the covered crimes were the most serious capital felonies, including murder, child sexual battery, destructive-device offenses causing death, and certain trafficking offenses, and argued the provision was intended to withstand constitutional challenge. Senator Pizzo raised Eighth Amendment concerns and questioned whether the bill could mandate death sentences. The tuition waiver provisions also drew extended debate: Fine said the state would save about $41 million by ending discounted tuition for undocumented students, while Democrats argued the savings would not return to general revenue and that the policy would harm students who are already enrolled. Fine and Gruters said green-card holders would not be affected and that the bill targeted only students in the country illegally. The discussion also covered appropriations and implementation. Senator Smith asked about the bill’s large funding levels, and Fine broke down the spending as including $375 million for the chief immigration officer, $100 million in grants to local law enforcement, $29 million for the new Office of State Immigration Enforcement, and $10 million for an unauthorized-alien transport program. Gruters said the funds would reimburse local governments and help address staffing shortages, while critics questioned the lack of benchmarks and the fiscal impact. No final vote or disposition on the bill appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:20:37.159> in sheriffs in sheriffs in America<01:20:39.199> we<01:20:40.000> too
• If the sheriff is accompanying, for example, the FBI on an interdiction of some type, the sheriff can
• the United States where local sheriffs the United States where local sheriffs did<01:24:16.199><
• Does the bill say the sheriff or his designee, or just the sheriff?
• law you know what it says about sheriffs law you know what it says about sheriffs U<01:34:37.199

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Trump and his administration, but also by some officials in our state, including Riverside County Sheriff
• In March, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized more than 600,000 voted ballots from last year's
• For evidentiary purposes, the ballots seized by Sheriff Bianco are spoiled forever.
• It was a fraudulent thing in the first place, what Sheriff Bianco did.
• This is in response to—so Sheriff Bianco, right?

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on May 6, 2026, with a quorum present and heard one bill, SB 73. The author described the measure as a response to perceived threats to California elections, including restrictions on armed or non-uniformed personnel at polling places, protections for ballots and voting equipment, and limits on law enforcement access to election materials without a court order. The chair reviewed a set of agreed amendments, including removing a section conflicting with AB 1664, deleting proposed criminal penalties, clarifying the role of the Attorney General and Secretary of State, and refining language on signature challenges, law enforcement support, and certified voting technology. Supporters, including AAPI Force, CHIRLA, the League of Women Voters of California, and Common Cause, argued the bill would protect voters from intimidation and preserve election integrity. Opponents from CALA argued the bill was unnecessary, would hinder legitimate investigations, and reflected distrust of law enforcement and federal oversight. Committee discussion focused heavily on whether the bill was responding to real-world threats and on the ballot seizure in Riverside County. Members questioned how the measure would affect signature challenges, chain of custody, and investigations into possible fraud. The author and supporters said ballots should remain in election officials’ custody and that federal or local agents should not be able to interfere with election materials or intimidate voters. The chair and other members also discussed the urgency clause and the need to move the bill quickly despite the proximity of the June election. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer SB 73 to the Committee on Public Safety. The roll call initially showed the bill passing 5-1, then after the absent member arrived, the final vote was 6-2, and the bill was reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said the legislation was brought by Sheriff Weyborn, the county sheriff in Tarrant County.
• This one is recommended from Sheriff Weyborn in Tarrant County.
• The chair calls Sheriff Brian Hawthorne. Thanks for coming down. Good morning, Sheriff.
• I'm the Sheriff of Chambers County, just east of Houston.
• Now, Sheriff Roy Boyd was going to come and testify today.

Summary: The committee heard and laid out a series of criminal justice bills, with public and invited testimony on restitution, juvenile justice, child abuse reporting, public-safety protections, organ trafficking, property fraud, disaster-response worker protections, fentanyl exposure, emergency data disclosure, insurance-fraud investigations, blood warrant execution, human smuggling, and TJJD advocacy access. Several measures drew support from prosecutors, clerks, law enforcement, utility companies, and victims who described real-world harms and delays in current law; opposition or caution came from civil-rights and advocacy groups on bills involving expanded criminal liability, data disclosure, and juvenile-facility access. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with the committee later voting out SB 127 favorably and placing it on the local and uncontested calendar. SB 1666 would streamline restitution payments for parole or mandatory supervision cases by requiring TDCJ to include victim information when forwarding payments, shortening the period before unclaimed funds go to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, and clarifying confidentiality and contact procedures; county clerks supported it as an efficiency measure. SB 2776 would let TJJD disclose certain information, with written consent, to support the Credible Messengers Program, and SB 127 would extend limitations periods for failure-to-report child abuse and concealment offenses, with testimony emphasizing delayed discovery of abuse and the need for accountability. SB 1980 would increase penalties for assaulting or interfering with peace officers, parole officers, and community supervision officers, and SB 456 would raise penalties for organ purchasing/trafficking and create a more specific criminal framework for the offense; both drew strong support from law enforcement and victims. The committee also heard SB 2611 on real property theft and deed fraud, which would create separate offenses for real property theft and fraud, add a ten-year limitations period, require criminal judgments to be filed in county property records, and expand restitution and title-clearing remedies. Witnesses described forged deeds, stolen church and family properties, and long, costly efforts to restore title; county clerks and prosecutors said the bill would help victims and streamline civil remedies. SB 482 would increase penalties for offenses against utility workers during declared disasters or evacuation orders, prompted by reports of threats and assaults during Hurricane Beryl; utility representatives said the bill is needed to keep mutual-aid crews coming to Texas. SB 1234 would add fentanyl to the endangerment statute for vulnerable people, while SB 816 would allow providers to disclose electronic data in immediate life-threatening situations; both drew support from prosecutors and criticism from civil-rights advocates concerned about overbreadth and liability protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...about the chief of police, the sheriff, the mayor.
• , or you know... ...the chief or the sheriff, or, you know, the state government agency head.
• Right, so we're saying the police chiefs and the sheriffs are going to be... ...Chiefs and the sheriffs
• Um, so we need to... the sheriffs are responsible.
• The sheriff called the chief, who was sitting there with two of his… the chief is sitting there with

Bills: HB287, HB280, HB57, HB252, HB286, SB36, HB287, HB280, HB57, HB252, HB286, SB36

Keywords: law enforcement, transparency, reporting, public safety, regulation, accountability, public nuisance, event liability, local government, community health, legal action, education, property acquisition, municipality, land use, annexation, competitive bidding, procurement, disclosure statements, state contracts

Transcript Highlights:

• CHAIR, THIS AMENDMENT CAPS THE GUARDIAN TRAINING FEES OF THE COST TO THE SHERIFF AND REPLACES THE REQUIREMENT
• OF DISTRICT SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS IS WAIVING IN SUPPORT AND ALSO MATT DUNNIGAN FROM THE FLORIDA SHERIFFS
• UNDER MATT DUNNIGAN IS HERE TO REPRESENT, SHERIFF GAULTIERI HAS BEEN INVOLVED AND I WANT TO THANK THE
• TO THE HEART OF YOUR QUESTION I WOULD SAY AND ACTUALLY CHAIR PIZZO WAS REFERENCING IF THE DEPUTY SHERIFF
• WHO IS OBVIOUSLY EXEMPT AS A DEPUTY SHERIFF, BUT IF HIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE POST PARKLAND PEOPLE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The reason I asked is because I have two of my sheriffs in my county.
• And I would like to acknowledge our sheriffs. We have some good sheriffs back there in the back.
• Again, that continuity of care that exists with the probate judge and the sheriff being a part of that
• There's nothing that prohibits us from putting a probate judge or a sheriff on the board.
• here is... is really interesting here, or as a positive, is that if you have a situation where the sheriff

Bills: HB162, HB376, HB425, SB96, HB426

Keywords: homelessness, homeless individuals, unsheltered, transient, shelter, encampment, street outreach, relocation, displacement, law enforcement, municipal government, county government, local government, interjurisdictional transport, Class A misdemeanor, criminal penalties, public safety, social services, Alabama Code 15-20A-4, environmental regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• So, for those exempted positions, again looking at fiscal year 2025, um, for the sheriff appointments
• So, for those exempted positions, again looking at fiscal year 2025, um, for the sheriff appointments
• So, for those exempted positions, again looking at fiscal year 2025, um, for the sheriff appointments
• So, for those exempted positions, again looking at fiscal year 2025, um, for the sheriff appointments
• So, for those exempted positions, again looking at fiscal year 2025, um, for the sheriff appointments

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:54 Pension System Update 00:03:38, 958, all

Summary: The committee held its first official interim meeting after merging the General Government and Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement committees, establishing a quorum and opening with the pledge and prayer. Members then received a briefing from KPPA representatives Ryan Barrow and Aaron Sarock on the state retirement systems, including KERS, CERS, and SPRS, and on the importance of fully funding the actuarially determined employer contribution, supplemental appropriations, and investment earnings in reducing unfunded liabilities. They said the systems have made progress toward a statutory closed amortization target of 2049 and emphasized that supplemental funding lowers current employer contribution rates but does not change that end date. A major topic was federal and state reemployment-after-retirement rules for retirees who return to work with participating employers. KPPA explained that retirees must have a bona fide separation from service, no prearranged agreement to return, and generally a one-calendar-month break in service for retirees on or after January 1, 2024. If a member fails to comply, retirement benefits can be voided, payments stopped, health coverage ended, and benefits repaid. The presenters also noted that rehired retirees do not earn a second retirement account, and employers rehiring them must pay employer contributions and, in non-exempt cases, reimburse health insurance costs. Members asked about the scale of rehired retirees and the difference between employer contribution and health insurance reimbursement amounts. KPPA said that in fiscal year 2025 there were over 3,500 rehired retirees in CERS and over 5,000 in SPRS, with substantial employer contributions and health reimbursement payments collected. They also explained that some positions are exempt from these chargebacks, including school resource officers and certain law enforcement positions that meet statutory criteria. The committee discussed House Bill 213, which allows cities, sheriffs’ departments, and post-secondary institutions to offer health insurance to rehired officers if authorized by the governing body, effective August 1, 2026, and clarifies the fiscal-year basis for certain exemption limits. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• First I'd like to welcome Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lima.
• The Sheriff also serves as a member of the Victoria's Voice Foundation.
• Thank you for being here, Sheriff Lima.
• And Sheriff Lemma, back to you. Just one final question.
• In fact, Sheriff Lima is a leader in our state.

Keywords: opioid crisis, overdose, naloxone, drug trafficking, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, older adults, Medicaid expansion

Summary: The meeting convened to address the dire opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide, with a particular focus on the alarming rise of opioid use disorder among older adults. Key testimonies highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and strict law enforcement actions against drug traffickers. Sheriff Dennis Lima from Seminole County outlined successful strategies implemented in Florida, including increased access to naloxone and legislative changes to hold drug dealers accountable for overdoses. Various members expressed a united front on tackling this multifaceted issue, advocating for the expansion of Medicaid and better access to treatment as essential steps to curbing the epidemic.