Transcript Highlights:

• into personnel and job descriptions unless we want to—job descriptions and employee performance evaluations—but
• approved... ...and job descriptions unless we want to—job descriptions and employee performance evaluations—but

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed a list of bills and budget items that were ready for due pass, including several House bills (HB 1010, 1018, 1020, 1023, 1041, 1055, 1077) and Senate bills (SB 4, 6, 16, 23, 24, 55, 59), along with items in the budget packet. The JBC Personnel Subcommittee report was then taken up. Senator Rice offered a substitute motion to separate out the governor’s staff-related item for a separate vote, arguing the public deserved answers about a governor’s staff member and related concerns. Several members discussed whether the motion was about transparency, personnel, or the governor’s budget. The substitute motion failed on a roll-call division vote, and the original subcommittee report was then adopted. The committee next heard from State Treasurer John Thurston on House Bill 1034 and his office’s budget request. Members questioned large salary increases for his executive team, especially the chief of staff and other top staff, and raised concerns about fairness, taxpayer cost, and whether the office was following the new pay plan rather than merit-based raises. Thurston said the salaries fell within the approved pay plan and that the office had agreed to a 10% compromise on the request; he also explained that office hours remained the same, though vault tours were shortened for scheduling reasons. After discussion, the committee adopted the letter for HB 1034. The committee then moved through additional budget and special-language items, including amendments and do-pass recommendations for Senate Bill 29, Senate Bill 51, and House Bill 1034, as well as special language items such as a Division of Agriculture extension-office improvement program. Members also discussed the Lieutenant Governor’s Office budget, with one member objecting to the size of the increase even after it was reduced from a much larger original request. The committee ultimately approved the listed bills and budget items, and adjourned with instructions to reconvene in 15 minutes in another room for special-language review.

Transcript Highlights:

• information on the project, and requires the State Board to submit to the Governor and the Legislature an evaluation
• The division is to evaluate the application for reimbursement based on a number of criteria that are

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• protocols for patients of all ages, continuing patient and family education, periodic comprehensive evaluations
• Periodic comprehensive evaluations and other disease-specific health maintenance services, psychosocial

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a moment of silence honoring former Senator Charlie Dean. Senators also introduced guests, including family members, church leaders, and visiting students. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar, where several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on Citizens Property Insurance, artificial intelligence, public records, and data centers. The Senate passed a series of bills focused on consumer protection, transportation safety, health, and financial regulation. CS/HB 505 on virtual currency kiosks passed 37-0 after being substituted for SB 198 and amended to adopt Senate language aimed at limiting fraud and setting transaction controls. SB 382 on electric bicycles passed 37-0 after amendment to broaden the task force to micro-mobility devices. SB 844 on sickle cell disease continuing education passed 37-0, requiring certain health professionals to complete training on care management. SB 1014 on municipal utility service outside city limits passed 37-0, and SB 428 on the swimming lesson voucher program passed 36-0 after amendments expanding the program to ages 1 through 7 and adding drowning-prevention education for new parents. The Senate also passed CS/CS/CS/SB 540 on the Office of Financial Regulation, which creates cybersecurity program requirements for certain licensees, expands oversight of some investment advisers, and updates credit union and anti-money-laundering provisions; it passed 36-0. CS/CS/SB 1440 on public records passed 35-1 after technical amendments tied to related cybersecurity exemptions and reporting requirements. SB 1594 on veteran benefit payments to minor clients passed 36-0, directing certain benefits for foster youth toward post-secondary education or aftercare rather than agency reimbursement. At the end of the session, the Rules Chair moved to certify all passed bills to the House and retain postponed bills on the special order calendar, and the Senate adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Will this program actually evaluate vendors for the local governments as well, or just more or less put
• Will this program actually evaluate vendors for the local governments as well, or just more or less put

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government heard and reported favorably several bills. CS/SB 800 would increase penalties for repeated unlicensed engineering practice and create an engineering student loan assistance program funded by licensure fees and fines; Senator Sharif asked about restitution for victims, and the sponsor said the bill does not create a reimbursement mechanism. CS/SB 576 would create a local government cybersecurity protection program administered by Florida Digital Service, with state purchasing support, grant access, and data-sharing requirements; local government and cybersecurity groups waived in support. CS/SB 1078 would establish transition procedures between gubernatorial administrations, including liaisons, briefing books, office space, IT access, and access to agency records under a signed confidentiality agreement. The committee also reported favorably CS/SB 314 on payment stablecoin issuers, CS/SB 530 updating lottery operations and security rules, CS/SB 1614 giving JAC/LAC-related audit findings more enforcement effect for local governments seeking state funds, SB 990 authorizing protective cell captive insurance companies, SB 1588 beginning implementation of the prior gold-and-silver legal tender law, CS/SB 1440 adding cybersecurity-related exemptions and reporting provisions for financial institutions, and CS/SB 1568 creating a stablecoin pilot program for DFS fee payments. Several bills had support testimony from state agencies and industry groups, and some included technical or guardrail amendments that were adopted without objection. The committee also received a budget overview highlighting major funding items, including more than $350 million for Florida Forever, $738 million for Everglades restoration, more than $500 million for water quality projects outside the Everglades, $60 million for Farmers Feeding Florida, and more than $250 million for citrus recovery. Members asked questions about school lunch funding, state park improvements, land acquisition, water quality funding, gaming enforcement offices, and staffing for PERC. After the bills and budget discussion, members recorded a few affirmative votes on selected tabs, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And she's just seeking the court to evaluate her case and decide whether or not that is something that
• diagnosis of some kind of dementia, or medical infirmity, and it will be the court that actually evaluates

Bills: HB1322, HB3053, HB3180, HB3244, HB3269, HB3299, HB3301, HB3302, HB3430, HB3497, HB3584, HB3586, HB3587, HB3606, HB3742, HB3743, HB3755, HB3764, HB3767, HB3835, HB3848, HB3903, HB3905, HB4108, HB4130, HB4142, HB4227, HB3996

Keywords: domestic violence, offenders registry, public safety, law enforcement, victim protection, conviction records, elderly, parole, criminal justice reform, inmate rehabilitation, Oklahoma statutes, firearms, handgun permits, self-defense, training requirements, Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, elderly exploitation, identity theft, crimes and punishments, criminal offenses

Transcript Highlights:

• Re-evaluate how funding is determined. ...in an effort to increase transparency.
• Re-evaluate how funding is determined for waiver enrollees and allow families of individuals with developmental

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee met to receive an update from the new director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities on implementation of House Bill 1103. The director said APD is working to update the funding algorithm through a contracted study due November 15, 2025, expand transparency on its website, launch an online crisis application by the end of 2025, improve client choice in qualified organizations and waiver support coordinators, and coordinate with AHCA on the managed care pilot and Florida HealthFinder listings for APD providers. He also said APD is working on family resource materials, a monthly newsletter, and stronger transition planning with DCF. Members asked about whether the new algorithm would include transportation and what services might change, but the director said the replacement model is still being developed and any new methodology would be implemented through rulemaking. Questions also focused on Family Care Councils, including the statewide council’s membership and appointment process; the director said the statute sets the process and APD is helping councils recruit and organize. On transparency, members praised the website improvements and asked for more interactive data tools. The director said APD would consider suggestions and continue expanding public reporting. The committee also discussed eligibility and waiver notices, including concerns about outdated language in APD letters and how autism cases are reviewed. The director said clinicians and behavioral analysts review cases and asked to see the specific letter. On the pre-enrollment list, the chair asked about the wait list, and the director said APD recently sent 5,612 service offers to people on the list and is working to better distinguish those who truly need services from those who do not. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The way I read the bill is that they could go up to 10%, at which point TDI would, I assume, evaluate
• , and with TDI, what are the mechanisms that we have to make sure that they have current data to evaluate

Bills: SB1642, SB1643, SB2530

Keywords: Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance, commercial automobile insurance, rate approval, consumer protection, windstorm insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, administrative penalties, coastal counties, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to answer this question is, but what I'm trying to get an understanding of as we're looking and evaluating
• but it does mean there are other factors that make this a little more complex situation for us to evaluate

Bills: SJR 4

Keywords: term limits, state offices, constitutional amendment, governor, lieutenant governor, election reform

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, using that analytical lens, I'm going to talk about how we would evaluate current policy, essentially
• So, kind of stepping back, we wanted to start here with how we think about the evaluation of reserve

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1633 was filed to strengthen the evaluation criteria used by groundwater conservation... districts
• consider the potential impact of proposed water uses on exempt wells by explicitly requiring the evaluation

Bills: HB2018, HB1633, HB1689, SB612, SB3058

Keywords: agricultural conservation, land preservation, environmental protection, wildlife habitat, Texas Farm and Ranch, groundwater conservation district, Texas Water Code, water permit, permit amendment, groundwater permit, water rights, aquifer, well registration, exempt wells, beneficial use, water conservation, groundwater quality, well plugging, Hill Country Priority Groundwater Management Area, surface water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• was testified that quality of life and the ability for spouses to be able to work soonest is an evaluation
• This has become an important, uh, aspect of evaluating different installations when they're considering

Transcript Highlights:

• for effective teachers can serve as the foundation for teacher Prep programs, certification and evaluation
• boys under Florida Memorial University would strengthen its ability to conduct in-depth research to evaluate

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My own son waited for over a year to be evaluated for special education despite a request from me and
• My own son waited for over a year to be evaluated for special education despite a request from me and

Keywords: public education, Department of Education, funding, Trump, Kassar, Elon Musk, education policy, youth advocacy, billionaire influence

Summary: This was a press conference organized by student advocates and Texas Democratic lawmakers to oppose efforts by the Trump administration and allies to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and to criticize Texas voucher proposals. Speakers argued that the department and its Office for Civil Rights are essential for enforcing civil rights protections, supporting special education, Title I, Pell Grants, career and technical education, and other federal education programs. They said eliminating the department would weaken oversight, shift power to states that have a poor record on student protections, and harm marginalized, low-income, disabled, and rural students. Congressman Greg Casar framed the issue as a transfer of public money from schools to billionaires, tying the department fight to federal budget and tax-cut debates and to Texas voucher efforts. State Representative Gene Wu said Texas public education is already near collapse and warned that losing federal support would worsen school closures, staffing shortages, and class-size increases. Representative Gina Hinojosa highlighted Texas’s past special education cap and attacks on Section 504, and said she filed bills to route federal block grants directly to schools if federal policy changes move forward. Representative Vicki Goodwin said the state should fund schools rather than vouchers and noted underfunding of special education and inflation pressures. Round Rock ISD trustee Melissa Ross and Texas AFT president Zef Capo emphasized that federal oversight protects students and that Texas has a history of underfunding and mishandling special education, meals, and other services. The final speaker, Westwood High School senior Eliza Abert, said the loss of federal education support would most harm low-income and middle-class students and called on attendees to oppose the changes. No votes were taken; the event ended with a call for public pressure on lawmakers and continued advocacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and so this would just be for their business processing evaluation, so just kind of shifting FTEs
• Uh, page 121, external evaluation of childcare rules and minimum standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to evaluate, score, and rank those projects.
• We have to evaluate, score, and rank those projects.
• We have to evaluate, score, and rank those projects.
• We have to evaluate, score, and rank those projects.
• We would hope at that time you would look at that list and evaluate it and select the projects that you

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee received a budget and program update from Kentucky Emergency Management on the state’s urban search and rescue buildout. Eric Gibson and Doug Hargrave said the legislature’s funding was used to create FEMA-type urban search and rescue capacity, including Kentucky Task Force 1 and 2, the incident support team, and the helicopter aquatic rescue/hoist team. They emphasized that the effort is not just equipment purchases but also training, credentialing, warehouse and training-facility development, canine program expansion, and coordination with local search and rescue agencies across the Commonwealth. Gibson reported that the agency executed 99.4% of the $16.175 million appropriation by the end of the fiscal year and said the team met its readiness target ahead of schedule, with equipment already being deployed in recent flood response operations. He also said $500,000 per year was set aside for local search and rescue grants, with about $482,000 awarded to 29 teams in one year and $490,000 to 36 teams in the next, averaging about $20,000 per grant. Several members urged the committee to consider increasing support for local responders in future budgets, noting rising equipment costs and the importance of local teams as first on scene. Members asked about staffing, coverage, and benefits. Gibson explained that the task force is a mixed workforce of full-time fire personnel loaned from local departments, professional service staff such as doctors and engineers, and temporary deployment staff, with workers’ compensation coverage provided through KYEM and/or home agencies depending on the arrangement. He also said local search and rescue members are not currently included in line-of-duty death benefits. In response to questions about coverage and deployment, he described the two task force locations as designed to keep resources within roughly 100 miles of every Kentuckian. The discussion also turned to recent flood response and disaster recovery. Gibson said the state had mobilized up to 24 teams over the weekend, documented roughly 60 to 80 water rescues or assisted evacuations, and was seeing significant damage in counties such as Cumberland, Clinton, and Metcalfe, including agricultural losses. He said several counties were meeting FEMA public assistance thresholds and that the state was preparing a broader relief request that could include FEMA, SBA, and USDA assistance. He also updated members on efforts to claw back and reallocate unused “strained fiscal liquidity” funds by the statutory deadline, saying notices were sent and funds were redirected where possible to unmet local needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• My performance evaluations for the first 11 years rated me as exceeds expectation on at least 80% of
• When I did that, one, my evaluation suddenly was only meets expectation and needs improvement.
• When I did that, one, my evaluation suddenly was only meets expectation and needs improvement.
• For the next three years in my new school, my evaluations returned to mostly exceeds expectation.
• For the next three years in my new school, my evaluations returned to mostly exceeds expectation.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee opened a public hearing on 41 bills related to school climate and safety, with chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlining procedures and noting more than 125 witnesses. The first major topic was the “Study Act” on cell phones in schools and related social media restrictions (House 666/Senate 335). Secretary of Education Pat Tutwiler and Attorney General Andrea Campbell testified in strong support, arguing that bell-to-bell phone-free policies would improve student focus, reduce anxiety and distraction, and support mental health. Several legislators also supported the approach, though Representative Jeff Turco and Senator John Keenan emphasized narrower bills focused only on school-day phone restrictions rather than broader social media regulation. Senator John Velis likewise backed a comprehensive school-hours restriction, citing student distraction and mental health concerns. Representative Tarsky described successful implementation of a Yondr pouch system in a school where he served as principal, saying it improved engagement and reduced bullying and discipline issues. The committee then heard testimony on a bill to prohibit Native American mascots in public schools (Senate 312/House 575). Senator Joe Comerford, Brittany Wally, and Rhonda Anderson all urged passage, saying Native mascots are dehumanizing, harmful to Native youth, and inconsistent with civil rights and educational values. They described support from tribal nations and noted that many Massachusetts schools have already changed mascots, but some still resist. The hearing also included testimony on school start times (House 647/Senate 360), where middle school students Caroline Duffy and Emery Jarvis described exhaustion and survey data showing widespread sleep deprivation. Former educator Telia Jacobs, former principal Rep. Tarsky, and others argued that later start times would improve health, learning, and student well-being, while acknowledging transportation and scheduling challenges. Zoriana Petrosian, who helped write one of the bills as a student, said the state already has enough research to act now. Additional bills drew testimony on related school issues. Dr. Raul Fernandez supported a bill promoting racially integrated schools (Senate 324), citing a recent advisory council report showing large disparities in segregated schools and urging DESE to develop a statewide integration strategy. On safe firearm storage education (House 548/Senate 397), multiple witnesses from Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention and school communities supported annual school-based education about secure storage, saying it would help prevent child access to unsecured firearms and build on local resolutions already adopted in some districts. The committee also heard testimony on bills to expand career and academic plans (House 533/Senate 438), with speakers saying more structured planning would help students make informed college and career choices. Later, testimony on child sexual abuse prevention and survivor support bills described the prevalence of abuse, the need for training in schools and youth-serving organizations, and the importance of extending compensation and prevention measures. Throughout the hearing, chairs repeatedly closed bills with no witnesses and moved the agenda forward, but no votes were taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So first, the permit to construct is evaluated, or the application for the permit to construct is evaluated
• They’re evaluating their construction materials for the well to make sure it’s compatible and there’s
• But before they get to a permit to inject, a sample of that CO2 stream has to be taken and evaluated
• then once they go into operation, there’s further backstop for that CO2 stream, which is constantly evaluated
• go into operation, there's further backstop for that CO2 is constantly, that stream is constantly evaluated

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Primo is going to do a little further evaluation as well. Senator Hoffman: Uh, Mr.
• Primo is going to do a little further evaluation as well. Senator Hoffman: Uh, Mr.
• Primo is going to do a little further evaluation as well. Senator Hoffman: Uh, Mr.
• Primo is going to do a little further<01:03:28.520> evaluation<01:03:29.280> as<01:03:29.520
• further evaluation as well. further evaluation as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hospital admission, meaning a significant share of patients we transport could be appropriately evaluated
• We are still evaluating the most recent amendments with our members.
• As policymakers, our constituents trust us to evaluate the many health care-related legislative proposals
• While there is an entity that evaluates proposed health insurance benefit mandates, no agency is tasked
• This bill assumes the Legislature has not been adequately evaluating the impact of bills on hospitals

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with several measures held for later action until quorum was established. Early in the hearing, the committee approved a consent calendar of multiple bills to Appropriations and noted that AB 2029 was pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, which would expand the ability of trained advanced practice clinicians, including nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants, to provide procedural abortion care under consultation and transfer protocols. Supporters argued the bill would improve access and reflect existing training and safety evidence, while opponents raised safety concerns about later-term procedures. The author and committee members discussed training standards and collaboration requirements, and the bill was held pending quorum. The committee then heard AB 1558, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state volunteer health professionals during declared emergencies. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and fill gaps in disaster response; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 followed, proposing a temporary rural emergency stabilization center in Patterson to address the lack of nearby emergency care while a permanent hospital is built. Local EMS and health district witnesses described long transport times and ambulance shortages, while the California chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians opposed the measure. The chair expressed support and joined as a co-author, and the bill was moved with a motion and second, to be considered when quorum was available. The committee also heard AB 1843 on hepatitis C treatment, AB 2247 on mental health services for youth impacted by gun violence, AB 2138 on peer support specialists in behavioral health, AB 1682 on insurance coverage for scalp cooling during chemotherapy, AB 1879 on standardized data reporting for substance use disorder treatment programs, AB 1906 on coverage for at-home cervical cancer screening kits, and AB 1556 on drug-free recovery housing. Most of these bills drew strong support from patient advocates, health providers, and community organizations, while insurers or industry groups opposed several of the coverage mandates on premium-cost grounds. AB 1906 was voted out on a roll call after quorum was established. AB 1556 drew support from recovery advocates and local officials but also opposition-unless-amended concerns from housing groups worried about relapse-related evictions and conflicts with Housing First principles; the bill was still under discussion at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are also real accountability measures here: annual reports on cybersecurity, independent evaluations
• There are also real accountability measures here: annual reports on cybersecurity, independent evaluations
• There are also real accountability measures here: annual reports on cybersecurity, independent evaluations
• There are also real accountability measures here: annual reports on cybersecurity, independent evaluations
• There are also real accountability measures here: annual reports on cybersecurity, independent evaluations

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 20, 2026, 1012, house, all