Transcript Highlights:

• Within DMS, there's $96 million for the Florida facilities pool to repair state-owned buildings, and
• Senate Bill 1004 protects buyers of dogs and cats from predatory financing practices and from deceptive
• must provide records of all medical examinations, any disease or disorder, any medications, and all financing
• If a veterinarian determines an animal is unfit for purchase, any financing arrangement is terminated
• This amendment eliminates the three-day waiting period for dogs and cats purchased through financing

Summary: The Senate took up the 2026-2027 budget and related implementing bills. Appropriations Chair Hooper presented a $115 billion General Appropriations Bill, saying it reduces overall spending from the prior year, preserves reserves, and includes a 3% raise for state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then outlined major budget areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and environmental/agricultural agencies. Highlights included increased funding for school safety, teacher and scholarship funding, workforce education, Medicaid and kid care, corrections operations, judgeships, affordable housing, hurricane recovery, Everglades and water quality projects, and arts and cultural grants. Members asked detailed questions about several items. Senators discussed the Emergency Management Trust Fund, cultural arts grant allocations, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salary support, charter school capital outlay funding, Bright Futures and EASE funding, New College funding, DOC deficits and inmate health care/food service costs, the ADAP HIV drug program, Medicaid reductions for non-critical access hospitals, and the use of opioid settlement and COVID relief funds. Chairs explained that some apparent reductions reflected shifts below the line or reclassification, that the ADAP appropriation would only cover about six months, and that some vacant positions were being removed as part of a right-sizing effort. Questions also covered lottery staffing, concealed weapons permit processing, elections security funding, and arts grant selection and proviso language. The Senate then substituted House bills for the Senate budget and implementing measures, amended them into the Senate posture, and passed them. HB 5001 (the appropriations bill), HB 503 (implementing bill), HB 5201 (collective bargaining), and HB 5205 (retirement) all passed 36-0 and were sent to conference. Other budget-related bills also passed, including SB 2506 on fuel taxes, SB 2508 on the state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge, SB 2510 on court trust funds, SB 2512 creating 13 circuit and 12 county judgeships, SB 2514 on K-12 education, SB 2516 on higher education, and SB 2518 on health. Most of these passed unanimously, with the Senate requesting the House either pass the Senate versions or include them in budget conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• proviso and implementing language authorizes the agency to request budget authority for the low-income pool
• The low-income pool program provides government support for safety-net providers for the cost of uncompensated
• the Medicaid Services to Individuals budget entity would allow the agency to make these low-income pool

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• proviso and implementing language authorizes the agency to request budget authority for the low-income pool
• The low-income pool program provides government support for safety-net providers for the cost of uncompensated
• the Medicaid Services to Individuals budget entity would allow the agency to make these low-income pool

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission met with a quorum present and considered two budget amendments for the Agency for Health Care Administration. The first, EOGB 2026-0831, authorized $2.1 billion in budget authority for the Low-Income Pool to support safety-net providers for uncompensated charity care. Members asked about the timing of CMS approval and whether the program addressed hospital shortfalls for insured patients and children; AHCA said the program is for uncompensated care and would follow up on specific questions. The amendment was adopted without objection. The second amendment, EOGB 2026-0875, placed $7.9 billion in reserve for Florida’s Directed Payment Program for hospitals, pending final CMS approval. Discussion focused on hospital attestations that no hold harmless agreements were in place, the meaning of those federal requirements, and whether any agreements had to be unwound; AHCA said attestations had been received from all hospitals and submitted to CMS. Members also asked about the approval timeline and whether another amendment would be needed after final approval, and AHCA said approval was hoped for soon but could not confirm the budget process. Representative Woodson raised concerns about cancer hospitals not participating in the DPP; AHCA responded that those hospitals participate instead in a separate Florida Cancer Hospital supplemental program, which had already been approved. This amendment was also adopted without objection, and the commission then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Alex Schope with the Department of Finance.
• Okay, I'll show up Department of Finance.
• Hugo Solis Galena with the Department of Finance.
• We'll start with the Department of Finance.
• Chair, Alex Schope, Department of Finance.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met for its annual Proposition 98 overview, with Chair Alvarez outlining the committee’s focus on K-12 funding, student outcomes, and use of one-time funds. Superintendent Tony Thurmond gave an update on education issues, including wildfire recovery support for affected school communities, ongoing concerns about federal threats to education funding and immigration enforcement, progress on literacy and math, dual-language immersion, educator housing, and support for dual enrollment. Members broadly expressed support for these priorities, while also raising concerns about implementation, funding stability, and the need for schools to remain safe places for students. The committee then reviewed the Governor’s Proposition 98 proposal. The Department of Finance said the 2025-26 Proposition 98 guarantee is projected at $118.9 billion, with higher revenues and TK-related rebenching driving the increase. The LAO said the budget adds about $7.5 billion over two years and discussed the volatility of the guarantee, especially in 2024-25, when changes in revenue could have an outsized effect on school funding. Members questioned the proposed $1.6 billion delayed settle-up payment, the legal basis for delaying it, and the impact of possible federal funding freezes. The LAO presented alternatives such as a reserve deposit or delayed disbursement, while Finance said the proposal is intended to manage uncertainty. Members also raised concerns that ethnic studies implementation was not funded in the January budget, and Finance said the administration was not proposing funding for it. The committee next heard on the Proposition 98 rainy day fund and education deferrals. Finance said the reserve would receive a mandatory deposit of about $1.2 billion in 2024-25 and a discretionary deposit of $376 million in 2025-26, leaving a balance of about $1.5 billion. The LAO supported rebuilding the reserve as a way to manage volatility. On deferrals, Finance described the Governor’s plan to eliminate remaining deferrals by 2025-26, and the LAO said paying them off improves cash flow and budget resilience. Members generally supported eliminating deferrals and rebuilding reserves, though some asked about acting earlier if revenues allow. The committee also reviewed the proposed $1.8 billion student support and professional development block grant; Finance said it would fund professional development, recruitment and retention, and dual enrollment, while the LAO recommended clearer language on local discretion and use for one-time costs. Members were divided, with some supporting flexibility and others warning that one-time block grants can create instability and confusion for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• the fatal injuries, one of them being my brother who clinically drowned at 5 years old at a public pool
• The ratio in the pool room was 16 children to 1 adult.
• Mitchell had accidentally slipped into the pool. He was knocked in by another child.
• He became unconscious, and he sunk to the bottom of the pool, where he stayed until another child from
• So we have someone outside the pool that is also watching and being acting as a safety person.

Bills: SB 28

Keywords: groundwater, groundwater conservation district, Water Code, Water Development Board, modeled available groundwater, aquifer, water permit, groundwater transfer, export groundwater, out-of-district transfer, management area, desired future conditions, well permit, retail public utility, potable water, emergency interconnect, subsidiary, controlled entity, aquifer management, water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Department of Finance, anything? Nothing further to add. Good. LAO?
• Brandon Merritt, Department of Finance. I'll kick this off.
• Brandon Merritt, Department of Finance.
• Brandon Merritt, Department of Finance. I think the only thing we can.
• Department of Finance, Brandon Merritt, $2.3 million, ongoing funding.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also appreciate the changes that were made in the Senate Finance Committee about keeping money in
• So my question is, how will the FQHCs be prioritized since there's a limited pool of money?

Transcript Highlights:

• High-quality CTE can be a game-changer, breaking the cycle of poverty. providing a talent pool that helps
• exciting thing, and the thing we've got to focus on, and I'm glad The Chair of LFC is here; our Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, another significant change is the fact that we've expanded the... grantee pool.
• A few questions, just finances: when it comes to what each student is getting from the big pot of money

Transcript Highlights:

• and that's what your prizes are the pool and that's what your prizes are based<00:47:07.000> out<
• So therefore, when the moratorium expires, the pool of potential applicants would expire as well after
• Certainly, as it exists now, the pool of applicants is limited, and that was a law passed during the
• of potential applicants expires the pool of potential applicants would<00:59:05.640> expire<00
• of applicants is limited and the pool of applicants is limited and that<00:59:43.599> was<00:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:18:10.560> in<01:18:10.719> place place uh and or liquidity pools in place place
• uh and or liquidity pools in place that<01:18:11.920> uh<01:18:12.640> will<01:18:12.880
• To the extent that you can speak about it, I think the custodian for our business finance authorities
• I'm also an independent participant in the commission, although I did spend 40 years in finance.
• Um, and I was hoping years in finance.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with roll call and introductions of commission members and guests, followed by approval of the agenda and a motion to approve the February 10 minutes with a correction clarifying that one quoted statement was misattributed. The commission then moved into presentations. The main presentation came from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors on implementation of the federal GENIUS Act for stablecoins. The speaker reviewed the OCC’s recent 367-page proposed rule, noting it raises many open questions and design choices for states, and discussed expected upcoming rulemaking from the FDIC, Federal Reserve, and Treasury. The presentation focused on six areas: permissible issuer activities, reserve assets and redemption, risk management and supervision, treatment of state-qualified issuers, capital/operational backstops, and foreign issuers. It also flagged unresolved issues around Bank Secrecy Act/AML requirements and the meaning of “digital asset service provider” activities. A substantial portion of the discussion addressed yield restrictions, with the presenter explaining the OCC’s broad definition of yield and its rebuttable presumption against issuer-affiliated or related third-party yield arrangements. The speaker said this likely forecloses many existing white-label structures but leaves some room for third-party payments depending on distance from the issuer, and noted ongoing Senate debate over similar provisions. The presentation also covered reserve valuation, liquidity and diversification requirements, redemption timing, and supervisory expectations such as third-party oversight, IT security, exam cycles, and reporting. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the amended minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• There should be a pool of attorneys.
• <01:02:33.160> of for this there should be a pool of for this there should be a pool of attorneys
• Everything is prepared to move on to Finance. I would just like to move it out as is.
• Move it on to Finance. Questions or concerns, members? If not, Vice Chair, for the vote.
• I would like to move this forward by just defecting the date to July 1, 3000, so Finance can consider

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees heard HB 756 HD1, a measure on flavored tobacco products. Supporters included the Attorney General, Department of Health, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, youth advocates, public health groups, and Kaiser Permanente. They argued flavored tobacco and menthol are used to attract and addict young people, cited rising youth and young adult vaping rates, and pointed to public health harms and evidence from other states that flavor restrictions reduced e-cigarette sales. The Attorney General requested oral amendments to correct a statutory reference, repeal a county preemption provision so counties could enact stricter flavor bans, and restore appropriations, positions, and the original effective date. Opponents, including retail and wholesale businesses, argued the bill would hurt small businesses and state tax revenue, push sales to the black market, and remove a harm-reduction option for adult smokers; they urged stronger enforcement instead of a ban. After testimony, the committees took up amendments and recommendations. The chair proposed correcting the statutory citation to HRS 26-38, adopting a Department of Health amendment on disposal of electronic smoking devices and e-liquids as hazardous waste, and noting the appropriations, FTE, and effective date in the committee report. Members then voted to pass HB 756 HD1 with amendments in both committees, with the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee recording one member as supporting with reservations. The transcript then moved to HB 806, relating to fireworks, which would appropriate funds for the Department of Law Enforcement to conduct sting operations on Oʻahu to enforce fireworks laws. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying undercover enforcement is costly and additional funding is needed. A community testifier also supported stronger enforcement, citing illegal aerial fireworks, noise, and impacts on pets and kupuna. No final vote on HB 806 was shown in the excerpt. The Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee also heard HB 438, which would create a Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program to provide legal representation in immigration court for income-qualified individuals. Support came from civil rights, legal aid, ACLU, and law school clinic representatives, who said counsel is needed to ensure due process and fair access to justice, especially because immigration proceedings can lead to deportation and family separation. Opposition testifiers argued taxpayer-funded counsel for people in immigration proceedings is inappropriate, unlawful, or unfair to citizens and legal residents. One law school representative suggested a technical amendment to broaden language about training and education. The excerpt ends before a final vote on HB 438 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, congratulations to everyone in finance committee.
• congratulations to everyone and finance congratulations to everyone and finance committee<05:06:
• Riley Fujisaki was also my budget chief when I was in finance.
• Riley Fujisaki was also my budget chief when I was in finance.
• Riley Fujisaki was also my budget chief when I was in finance.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025. The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions. Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• This isn't necessarily by choice, but a reflection of the dwindling pool of qualified candidates.
• This isn't necessarily by choice, but a reflection of the dwindling pool of qualified candidates.
• Chair, Cody Stolzer, I am the division director for the Finance and Management Division here in South
• Absolutely, Lisa Roselle, Deputy Director, Absolutely, Lisa Roselle, Deputy Director of Financing Management
• Good afternoon, Bobby Leiferman with the Office of State and School Finance.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to discuss special education funding and retention, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and then hearing a presentation from North Dakota United on a statewide special education survey and retention rubric. Presenters described how the rubric and survey were developed from special educator input around four domains: paperwork and due process support, workload, student and staff safety, and paraprofessional management. They reported high levels of stress and burnout, including increased workload, difficulty taking prep and lunch time, concerns about mental health, and widespread difficulty filling special education positions. Committee members questioned the survey’s lack of a general-education comparison group, the interpretation of terms like “rarely” and “sometimes,” and whether results could be broken down further by district size, unit, or disability area. The survey results showed the weakest area was workload, with respondents reporting caseloads increasing without corresponding adjustments, little additional support or compensation when workloads rise, and few negotiated-agreement protections. Paperwork and due process also scored poorly, with many teachers saying they rarely receive dedicated time during the duty day, often work outside contract hours without compensation, and take work home on evenings and weekends. Student and staff safety scored somewhat better but still showed gaps in crisis follow-up, notification about violent behavior, protective gear, and leave options after incidents. Paraprofessional management also drew concern, especially low pay, insufficient staffing, limited administrative support, and the burden placed on teachers to supervise and train paras. Several teachers then testified directly about the practical impact of these issues. One special education teacher described the job as combining instruction, legal compliance, and paraprofessional supervision, often requiring work beyond contracted hours and contributing to burnout and turnover. Another testified that special education case managers are effectively doing three full-time jobs and that the paperwork and caseload demands are a major reason people avoid or leave the field. Committee members discussed whether the problems are primarily local or state-level, whether more funding would solve them, and whether changes to the funding formula or weighting for high-cost students might be needed. No formal vote or action was taken beyond a recess and return to order for the next presentation, which continued the discussion of possible special education study objectives and potential policy directions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of your support, New Mexico has already taken major steps to strengthen hospital financing, including
• physician for five years, and then the office gets acquired by the local hospital because better financing
• the Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Committee that meets in the interim, and the Legislative Finance
• So we could say, I've got a pool. It's a nuisance. I want to have a fence around it.
• So now what I'm saying is we've been talking about the pool that even gets smaller with that because

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• discussion uh as it relates to foreign discussion uh as it relates to foreign nationals and and campaign finance
• and nationals and and campaign finance and nationals and and campaign finance and uh fair campaign finance
• I should allude uh fair campaign finance I should allude uh fair campaign finance I should allude to
• or can be structured some way for them or can be structured some way for them or can they go to the pool
• if they don't have they go to the pool if they don't have they go to the pool if they don't have leave

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reviewed by this committee in the past two years, but it was not included in the Omnibus Human Services Finance
• individuals under the age of 18 to be related to the child dramatically reduces an already shallow pool
• of potential staff this new pool of potential staff this new language<00:20:00.280> unnecessarily
• You want to go to Finance? Can we? No, nobody's... all right, it's laying over.
• You want to go Finance? Can we? No, nobody's... all right, it's laying over. I lost that argument.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the director of the Community Housing and Grants Management Division at the North Dakota Housing Finance
• Agency, and I'm here today to provide you an update on the... ...at the North Dakota Housing Finance
• I do want to point out that North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, in partnership with NDSU Center for
• I do want to point out that North Dakota Housing Finance Agency and partnership with NDSU Center for
• They'd go to the pool, or they'd go to a movie, or whatever.

Summary: The committee first approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then received an update from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency on the interagency council on homelessness and continuum of care funding. Testimony described rising homelessness tied to tight housing markets, low incomes, aging homelessness, barriers to rental assistance and public benefits, and limited shelter and case-management capacity. Members discussed the need for more affordable housing, continued one-time funding for the North Dakota Homeless Grant and Housing Incentive Fund, better coordination with Health and Human Services on economic assistance and human service zones, landlord engagement, recovery housing, and reentry housing. The committee also heard that federal continuum of care funding remains uncertain, with possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing and housing-first models; members asked for a future update on the impact if federal rules reduce the share available for permanent housing. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described current screening and service delivery, including infant referrals, regional staff, short-term programs, and collaboration with vocational rehabilitation. He said the targeted screening system is working, recommended maintaining the current model, and noted ongoing challenges with staffing, public awareness, and accessible state websites and documents. Public testimony from a visually impaired resident and a deaf resident emphasized barriers such as CAPTCHAs, inaccessible PDFs, employment forms that screen out applicants based on driver’s license status, shortages of interpreters, and the need for video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training for users and agencies. Finally, the committee heard a final report on the study of child care provider licensing from HHS Early Childhood Director Kay Larson. The report summarized provider input and committee discussion on simplifying North Dakota’s child care licensing structure, reducing administrative burden, and balancing that with health and safety standards. Key topics included licensing categories, child care assistance eligibility, food program sponsorship, staff qualifications, training requirements, ratios and group size, age bands, and preschool exemptions. The committee’s recommendations included streamlining to three provider types plus a preschool designation, revising ratio and age-band rules, and carrying forward certain preschool outdoor-space exemptions. Larson noted that any changes would require statutory changes, rulemaking, and a transition period before new licensing rules could take effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so then I also know we looked at this you're here or hearing with the Senate Finance Committee
• So typically, our treasury pool, those dollars are overnight cash. because they come in and they come
• They will because sometimes they're in a different pool. I've been informed so I wasn't sure.
• Slide two. yes so this has the this one yeah so this has the budget out by category a method of finance
• have several means of finance from us? of any that have run out of funds to serve their clients.

Keywords: budget, House Bill 1, public education, healthcare, border security, federal funding, spending limits

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on reviewing the proposed budget for the upcoming biennium, with substantial discussions around House Bill 1 and its implications for public education, healthcare, and border security. The Comptroller presented a revenue overview indicating a total of $194.6 billion available for general purpose spending, which reflects a slight decrease compared to previous years due to fluctuating economic conditions. Members raised questions regarding spending limits and the impact of federal funding on state programs, highlighting concerns about the sustainability of funding in light of potential changes at the federal level.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would severely limit our recruiting pool and could disqualify qualified candidates with valuable
• <00:20:33.679> and<00:20:34.000> could limit our recruiting pool and could limit our
• recruiting pool and could disqualify<00:20:35.520> qualified<00:20:36.159> candidates<
• from the other body on the bonding pool from the other body on the bonding pool bill<00:56:12.960
• It's the exact year on the bonding pool.

Bills: HB0130, HB0095, HB0096, HB0097, SF0101, SF0106, SF0067, SF0123

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearms, state rights, federal regulation, law enforcement, civil penalties, government liability, concealed carry, public colleges, university facilities, weapons legislation, self-defense, campus safety, weapons, age requirement, permits, HB0097, Wyoming firearms privacy, merchant category code, MCC