Video & Transcript : 'tax' :
Page 128 of 500
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Doing so the tax credit to $10,000.
- </c><01:17:33.280><c> and</c><01:17:33.520><c> on</c> tax. That that that's a lot. and on tax.
- </c><01:17:43.120><c> It</c> tax, whatever you like call them. It tax, whatever you like call them.
- </c> costing them in the over on the G tax costing them in the over on the G tax going<01:18:10.159><
- </c> Tax Foundation of Hawaii with comments. Tax Foundation of Hawaii with comments.
Committee:
Senate Economic Development and Tourism
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard seven bills on consumer protection, DBEDT-related matters, and tourism/creative industry issues. On SB 2031, DCCA supported aligning state law with the FTC’s 2025 rule on hidden fees and pricing misrepresentations in live event ticketing and short-term lodging; hotel and financial industry witnesses also testified, and senators asked for complaint and enforcement data. On SB 2129, DBEDT and business groups supported a study of minimum wage impacts, with testimony emphasizing effects on hours, employment, prices, and business viability; a senator asked whether the study could also examine the gig economy and business closures, and DBEDT said that may be possible but would require more research and data access.
On SB 2259, which would promote dementia-friendly businesses, DBEDT said the measure fit better with another agency and lacked the department’s expertise, while the Executive Office on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association supported the intent and offered to help with curriculum, branding, and training. Testifiers described dementia as a spectrum and said businesses should be trained to communicate effectively with customers and employees living with the disease; suggested amendments included changing the branding language and requiring at least 85% of employees to complete training rather than all employees. A senator also raised concerns about stigma and whether early-stage dementia should affect a person’s ability to function, and the witness responded that people can often function well in early stages.
The committee also heard SB 2577 on sports tourism, which DBEDT and the Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported as a way to better understand which events draw visitors and economic benefits. SB 2578, creating a film commission, drew broad support from DBEDT, Creative Industries, SAG-AFTRA, the Hawaii Film Alliance, the Hawaii Film Office, and others, but several witnesses urged changes to the commission’s composition and authority, including more labor representation and limits on the commission’s ability to adjust the production cap. Senators questioned staffing, costs, and whether current film office employees should transfer to the new commission, and one senator proposed a friendly amendment to add musicians, SAG, IATSE, and Teamsters, though the department cautioned that too many members could make the commission difficult to manage. The transcript ends during discussion of the film bill, with no final votes or committee actions stated for the measures heard.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention - 02/11/25
Housing and Homelessness Prevention
Transcript Highlights:
- :42:50.640><c> HUD</c> credits Federal Energy tax credits HUD credits Federal Energy tax credits HUD
- this would be a tax increase.
- I am no stranger to carrying a bill with a tax increase. Mine was actually a tax increase.
- Senator Putnam doesn't like taxes. I think taxes are patriotic. We can have that argument.
- </c> doesn't like taxes I think taxes are doesn't like taxes I think taxes are patriotic<01:38:11.119
Committee:
Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Press Conference: End of Special Session DFL Media Availability - 06/10/25
Transcript Highlights:
- bill, but we had that social media tax.
- ><c> media</c><00:19:10.880><c> tax.
- Um, things like that social media tax.
- We also closed a tax there will be more.
- Um, that would be a tax um, Google etc.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- This bill does not change how cabins are taxed.
- Again, this bill does not change how our cabins are taxed in Greater Minnesota.
- It helps our Greater Minnesota school districts that don't have the same tax benefits. ...tax base of
- We can use taxes to fund those collective services.
- We can do that through taxes.
Committee:
House Education Finance
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Press Conference: Republican Leaders Present Bills to Curb Government Waste - 03/17/25
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:08:28.319><c> dollars</c><00:08:28.720><c> for</c> their tax dollars for their tax dollars for
- Are those tax credits mostly child tax credits, or a variety of them?
- These are tax credits, tax expenditures, that the Democrats, with their change in the 2023 tax bill,
- Are those tax credits mostly child tax credits, or a variety of them?
- These are tax credits, tax expenditures, that the Democrats, with their change in the 2023 tax bill,
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on State Government (3-12-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:21:24.279><c> tax</c> opportunity to purchase that tax tax opportunity to purchase that tax tax
- What is what qualifies as a tax diverted tax delinquency purchaser?
- Chair. ...What is what qualifies as a tax diverted tax delinquency purchaser?
- </c> purchaser goes to the it's the tax purchaser goes to the it's the tax delinquency<00:26:55.520><
- Is it going to require them to do continued tax sales other than their annual tax sale?
Summary:
The House State Government Committee met with a quorum and took up several Senate bills, adopting committee substitutes where offered. Senate Bill 176, relating to statutory committees within the Legislative Research Commission, was presented by Senator Matt Nunn as a cleanup and process-streamlining measure for appointments, vacancies, and appointing authorities. It passed the committee 15-0 with a title amendment.
Senate Bill 104, presented by Senator Scott Maiden and the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority, would update deferred compensation law by adding a fiduciary standard, allowing less expensive liability insurance, making federal-law compliance self-correcting, and authorizing a self-directed brokerage account option. It passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Senate Bill 9, presented by Senator Jimmy Higdon, would change teacher retirement-related leave provisions, including up to 30 days of maternity leave, a 13-day annual rollover toward retirement, limits on using annual leave to increase retirement benefits, reporting requirements, and related cleanup provisions. After questions about maternity leave, district flexibility, and the actuarial cost of additional days, it passed 15-0 with favorable expression.
Senate Bill 129, presented by Senator Rocky Adams and House sponsor Representative John Hudson, was described as a housing and redevelopment measure aimed at vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties in Louisville. Testimony focused on allowing qualified nonprofits to purchase certain tax-delinquent properties after a waiting period, along with provisions on density development, accessory dwelling units, urban development incentives, fire and code enforcement recovery, a Central Business District tax fix, and changes to binding elements. Members raised concerns about nonprofit qualifications, land bank overlap, and county clerk burden; the bill passed 13-1 with one pass and received a title amendment. Senate Bill 178, presented by Senator Mike Nemes, was a short reorganization bill to codify the transfer of the Department of Disability Determination Services Program from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Labor Cabinet. It passed 12-0. The committee then recorded additional votes and adjourned, with the chair thanking members and staff, noting it was likely the final meeting of the year.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue (11-5-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- tax, sales and use and consumers use tax, transient room fee, tire fee, telecommunications tax, commercial
- > tax,</c><01:08:02.880><c> commercial</c> telecommunications tax, commercial telecommunications tax,
- </c> tax returns. tax returns.
- <01:13:58.080><c> tax.
- </c> our taxes? our taxes?
Summary:
The committee met on November 5, 2025, and first approved the minutes after a moment of silence for the UPS airport tragedy. The main presentation was from the Personnel Cabinet on the state health insurance plans and executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Officials said the health plan covers roughly 265,000 active members and up to about 300,000 across all benefit offerings, including school board employees, retirees, and other eligible groups. They described rising claims and expenditures, especially from high-cost claimants and pharmacy spending, and said recent premium and benefit changes were intended to balance costs while preserving recruitment and retention efforts. They also explained that employee premiums had not increased for several years, while employer contributions rose sharply in recent years, and projected a 10% employer increase and 3% employee increase going forward based on actuarial analysis. Committee members asked about deductibles, GLP-1 drug costs, claims validation, and the causes of cost growth; officials said the plan uses multiple payment-integrity vendors and that the increases reflect utilization, drug trends, and high-cost cases rather than a change in coverage.
The committee also discussed executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Personnel and budget officials explained that when the legislature approves annual pay increases, the salary schedule is adjusted by the same percentage through executive order so the minimum and midpoint stay aligned with approved compensation levels. They said the 2025 adjustment was a 3% match effective September 16 and that the change was costless because salaries had already been increased. Members raised concerns about salary compression, noting that new hires can sometimes be paid near the level of long-serving employees. Officials said the adjustment helps prevent compression from worsening but does not solve it, and they acknowledged prior RFP efforts to address the issue were unsuccessful because no qualified bidder met the requirements.
After the health plan and salary discussions, the committee began a presentation from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on Kentucky’s senior meal program. Secretary Stack explained that the program is a federal-state-local partnership under the Older Americans Act, with area development districts helping deliver services. He outlined eligibility rules, noting that congregate meals at senior centers are available to people age 60 and older, with a spouse of any age allowed to join, and that home-delivered meals have additional homebound and assistance requirements. Members asked whether there was any means test for congregate meals, and the secretary said there is not; the only threshold is age for the center-based meals, while the home-delivered program has additional criteria.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Municipal and County Government (01/23/2025)
Municipal and County Government
Transcript Highlights:
- We re my town exitor had a petitioned article for tax cap, so the tax there was do you want to have a
- We re my town exitor had a petitioned article for tax cap, so the tax there was do you want to have a
- cap so the tax there was do you for tax cap so the tax there was do you want<01:18:03.679><c> to</c>
- </c> know how you would see again that tax know how you would see again that tax cap cap cap piece<01
- </c><03:08:59.319><c> raises</c> property tax and as property tax raises property tax and as property
Committee:
House Municipal and County Government
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee Mar 26th, 2025
Utilities and Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- But tax-free debt and a tax-free entity does have consequences.
- But tax-free debt and a tax-free entity does have consequences.
- And then the one other question is the taxes that are being saved. Is it just property tax? Or?
- The taxes in our economic analysis are federal and state taxes, not local. Okay.
- You had mentioned property tax. So is property tax also then? Oh, yes. Yeah.
Committee:
House Utilities and Energy
Summary:
The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the Public Utilities Commission by adding legislative liaisons, requiring more frequent and detailed reporting on rate decisions, and changing commissioner representation to increase geographic diversity and accountability. The author and supporters argued the CPUC is too insulated from public pressure and that Californians need more transparency and oversight on utility rate hikes. Support came from former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch, Jeff Shields, wildfire survivor Will Abrams, TURN, and San Diego Gas & Electric in a support-if-amended position; there was no opposition testimony. Members generally praised the transparency goals, and the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members.
The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. Those measures were moved on consent without substantive debate and passed unanimously. The committee also held AB 99, which would limit investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel or commodity expenses. The author and supporters, including the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect seniors and other ratepayers from repeated utility hikes, while opponents argued it was overly simplistic, could harm labor and reliability, and failed to account for major cost drivers like wildfire mitigation and mandated programs. Despite broad concerns from utilities, labor, business, and environmental groups, the bill advanced 11-0 to Appropriations, with several members noting they supported continued work on the measure.
After the bill votes, the committee opened an informational hearing on strategies to reduce California transmission costs, the second part of its energy affordability series. Public Advocates Office staff presented data showing a large and growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven mostly by utility pre-application and construction phases. Panelists from D.H. Infrastructure, Net Zero California, IBank, and PG&E discussed alternative financing models, including public-private partnerships, public ownership, tax-exempt debt, loan guarantees, and grants, arguing these tools could lower capital costs and speed development. Members focused on whether the CPUC is the right venue, how to shorten permitting and pre-application delays, and how public financing could be structured to reduce costs without shifting burdens elsewhere.
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
WV Senate Mar 14th, 2026 at 04:37 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- The purpose of this bill is to provide a reduction in the personal income tax.
- The House of Delegates lowered the income tax reduction from 10 percent.
- The House of Delegates lowered the income tax reduction from 10 percent.
- The House took out the tax credits. Got it. Thank you. Further discussion.
- income tax.
Summary:
The Senate first considered confirmations from Senate Executive Message No. 4. On a 33-0 vote, it confirmed all nominees except number 54, then separately confirmed nominee 54 on a 30-3 vote. The special order of business was then closed.
The chamber then took up a series of House-amended bills and generally concurred in the amendments before passing each bill. These included SB 723 on law enforcement cooperation with bordering states; SB 947 on birth certificate copies for homeless minors; SB 392 on personal income tax reduction; SB 54 on criminal penalties for abuse or neglect of incapacitated adults; SB 228 on technology in child abuse and neglect investigations, including a three-county caseworker aid pilot; SB 231 on value-based payment requirements; SB 402, the Workforce Readiness Opportunity Act, with House removal of tax credits and other provisions while retaining micro-credential programs; SB 553 on transfer of contractor licenses to qualifying immediate family members; SB 575 on refusal review hearings; SB 686, the Coal Tenancy Modernization and Miners' Protection Act; SB 906 on lawful prescription of crystalline polymorph psilocybin under FDA recommendations; and SB 1226 on penalties for disturbing religious worship. Most final passage votes were unanimous or near-unanimous, and several bills were made effective from passage or given a specific effective date.
Later, the Senate concurred in House amendments to SB 63, the Creating Sustaining Opportunities for Academics and Rural Schools Act, after discussion noting the House removed county charter school language and changed the effective date. The bill passed 32-2 and was made effective from passage. The Senate also concurred in amendments to SB 502, the Women's Collegiate Sports Protection Act, and SB 153, creating the Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund; SB 502 was set to take effect July 1, 2026, and SB 153 was also made effective July 1, 2026. Finally, the Senate reconsidered and again passed SB 392 by a 32-2 vote. The session ended with several introductions, announcements, and a recess until 5:30.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Debate — April 26 Apr 26th, 2025 at 06:30 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- And what it does here is establish a B&O tax rate of 3.1% for payment...
- a B&O tax deduction for certain fees related to payment credit card processing.
- In Washington, sometimes you get taxed a little bit.
- get spent and a 10% tax on the credits that get banked.
- This is a new tax on zero-emission vehicle credits. That's what it is. It's a new tax.
Summary:
The Senate opened with a moment of silence for Senator Chris Gildon’s wife, Autumn, who had died earlier that day. Members then took up several bills on final passage, moving most of them directly from second to third reading by unanimous consent.
Substitute House Bill 2020, dealing with payment card processing activities, was described as resolving a long-running dispute with the Department of Revenue by setting a 3.1% B&O tax rate and allowing certain deductions; it passed 47-0. House Bill 2039, which delays expansion of child support pass-through from 2026 to 2029, drew some opposition over reducing support to custodial parents but passed 25-22. House Bill 2040, delaying elimination of recoveries from the aged, blind, and disabled assistance program from 2025 to 2028, also passed 25-22 after similar debate about protecting vulnerable recipients.
Substitute House Bill 2051, concerning payment to acute care hospitals for difficult-to-discharge patients, passed 27-20 after several proposed amendments were withdrawn. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2061, imposing a 10% concession fee on duty-free sales to fund tourism promotion and sustainable aviation fuel, passed 27-20 despite Republican concerns it was a tax increase that would be passed on to consumers. Substitute House Bill 2077, which creates taxes on certain zero-emission vehicle credit transactions, defeated an amendment that would have removed the tax on banked credits; supporters framed it as encouraging use of credits and clean transportation investment, while opponents called it a targeted “Tesla tax.” It passed 28-19.
The Senate then returned to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293, a litter and plastic bag policy bill. After the House refused to concur in Senate amendments, the Senate receded, adopted a striking amendment, and passed the bill 27-20. The chamber then adjourned until April 27, 2025.
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
January 20, 2026 - 09:30 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a local bill tweaking the charter and tax remediation bill.
- Tax Receipts.
- Local business taxes are about efficiencies.
- authority known in Chapter 205 as a Local Business Tax.
- What tax dollars, US tax dollars are currently being used in this $40 million a week funding?
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate Chamber Feb 5th, 2026 at 11:33 am
New Mexico Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a tax. We call it a fee, but a federal judge deemed it a tax.
- It is a tax. Mr.
- This tax, I believe, has now been considered by the courts to be a tax rather than a fee.
- tax, Mr.
- paying property tax, but not today.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Health Finance and Policy Working Group 1/15/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Who gets taxed by the provider tax? Health care providers.
- this is is uh a tax gross premium tax this is is uh a tax imposed<00:07:31.160><c> on</c><00:07:31.280
- </c> uh in 2024 the the the provider tax uh in 2024 the the the provider tax yielded<00:07:49.280><c>
- </c> under the forecast is that the taxes under the forecast is that the taxes will<00:07:55.800><c>
- </c><00:08:05.280><c> will</c> upcoming bayum is that the tax will upcoming bayum is that the tax will
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Forty Five - Wednesday, April 1 - Afternoon Session
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The entities, the broadband entities, are getting a tax cut, which means they would save money.
- cut, a tax break for seven years to incentivize companies to get new customers.
- Not tax credit, a deduction. I'm sorry, a deduction.
- So why do they get a tax break for it?
- The existence of historic tax credits was absolutely vital in our city's recovery.
Summary:
The House first established a quorum after a roll call and then moved through House Bills for Perfection, Informal. Members briefly recognized Doug Pitt and Crystal Simon of Care to Learn, with remarks highlighting the organization’s work providing clothing and other support to students in 60 communities and reaching about 130,000 students statewide.
Several bills were then taken up and advanced. HB 2848, creating the offense of masked intimidation, was explained as targeting intentional harassment or threats while hiding one’s face; members discussed examples ranging from domestic intimidation to historical hooded groups, and the bill was ordered perfected and printed. HCS HB 1791, aimed at speeding building permits to help address housing costs and disaster recovery, drew debate over whether the 30- and 60-day permit deadlines would burden local governments; an amendment requiring code-enforcement staff to be certified in the adopted code was added, and the bill was adopted and perfected and printed as amended. HCS HB 2465, expanding small-business health coverage options by allowing one-person businesses to access group plans outside the ACA framework, was adopted and perfected and printed. HCS HB 2711, reducing the assessment rate on broadband infrastructure investment to encourage expansion, received amendments clarifying that the tax break is intended to promote broadband expansion; members debated whether upgrades within existing territories should qualify, and the bill was adopted and perfected and printed as amended.
The chamber also advanced HCS HB 3080, restoring historic preservation tax credit language that had previously been struck down by the courts; supporters cited recovery and redevelopment projects in places such as Joplin, St. Charles, Independence, Odessa, and St. Louis, and the bill was adopted and perfected and printed. HB 1772, increasing state payments for adoption attorneys and separating guardian fees to help move children out of foster care more quickly, was described as a targeted effort to reduce legal barriers to adoption and was perfected and printed. HB 2096, raising state matching funds for regional planning commissions and updating the list of commissions, was also perfected. Finally, HCS HB 2913 and 3228, which would protect teachers and other school employees from liability when intervening to protect themselves or students in violent situations, was supported as a response to teacher concerns and was adopted and perfected and printed.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee Aug 20th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- revenue in the form of mostly local trans and occupancy tax, sales tax revenue of course.
- Local transient occupancy tax, sales tax revenue, of course. Sure. But then jobs as well.
- sales tax.
- through sales taxes, property taxes, and TOT, transient occupancy taxes.
- I mean, the tax rates? Oh, the tax rates?
Summary:
The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism held an informational hearing on the state of California tourism amid declining international visitation and broader economic and political headwinds. Visit California CEO Caroline Betetta said the industry remains a major economic driver, with 2024 visitor spending of $157 billion, 1.2 million jobs supported, and $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, but warned that 2025 forecasts show the first post-pandemic decline in visitation, driven largely by a projected 9.2% drop in international travel. She cited concerns about the strong dollar, visa wait times, border and immigration rhetoric, and a proposed federal visa integrity fee, while emphasizing Visit California’s marketing campaigns and the importance of upcoming mega-events like the World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
A second panel of destination leaders described local impacts and strategies. Visit Sacramento’s Mike Testa said the city has diversified beyond conventions into music festivals, sports, and food events, but noted that international apprehension is affecting events like Terra Madre Americas and that California should do more to incentivize major festivals to stay in-state. Santa Monica Travel and Tourism’s Lauren Salisbury said the city is seeing lower international visitation, especially from Canada, Australia, and Europe, and that wildfire coverage and later federal troop presence in Los Angeles hurt local sentiment and caused cancellations. Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau’s Rhonda Salisbury reported steep drops in international visitation to the gateway region, ongoing concerns about wildfire, reservations, insurance costs, and park access, and praised a new federal requirement for quarterly meetings between national parks and gateway communities.
San Diego Tourism Authority COO Carrie Verbeck-Cappich said tourism is the region’s second-largest sector, but 2025 is softer than 2024, with spending down despite modest visitation growth. She pointed to weaker Canadian and Asian travel, government-related meeting cancellations, and the need for more support to bid on and host major events; she also highlighted border-crossing delays, insufficient federal staffing at ports of entry, and the Tijuana River sewage crisis as major regional issues. Committee members discussed the effects of federal rhetoric, infrastructure, and cross-border conditions on tourism, and several witnesses urged continued support for Visit California, Brand USA, event incentives, and efforts to present California as welcoming and open. Public comment then opened, beginning with testimony from the California Attractions and Parks Association.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Municipal and County Government (02/10/2026)
Municipal and County Government
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> local property taxes. local property taxes. local<00:16:29.839><c> property</c><00:16:30.240><c>
- </c><00:17:46.880><c> So</c> local property taxes. So local property taxes.
- </c> property taxes in my view. property taxes in my view.
- </c> property taxes. property taxes.
- This is actually worse than regressive tax. This is upside-down tax.
Committee:
House Municipal and County Government
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- And taxes by about 24 million in that.
- It would lower taxes in my district.
- Loved having you here today. rising property taxes of your city and rising property taxes of your city
- </c><01:02:49.040><c> is</c> to lower those property taxes is to lower those property taxes is appreciative
- , more tax breaks.
Committee:
Senate Education Finance
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- The Department of Business and Professional Regulations, Thank you. monthly excites tax.
- That no-fault system is paid for by excise taxes from each vaccine that is administered.
- In Loudoun County, Virginia, more than half of the local tax revenue comes from data centers.
- In Grant County, Washington, property tax revenues have climbed 1,277% to $54 million.
- Tax-wise?
Committee:
Senate Regulated Industries
Summary:
The Committee on Regulated Industries considered several bills and took final action on each. SB 986, by Senator Gruters and presented by Senator Rodriguez, would prohibit smoking or vaping marijuana in public places and in certain indoor spaces; restaurant and lodging representatives supported adding marijuana and vaping to clean indoor air rules but asked to preserve designated smoking areas on private property, while cannabis advocates warned the bill was overly broad and could affect patients and property rights. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 678, by Senator Mayfield, would restore statutory authority for DBPR to continue allowing alcohol distributors to deduct unsellable alcohol from monthly excise tax calculations; the committee adopted a strike-all amendment and reported the committee substitute favorably. SB 800, also by Senator Mayfield, increases penalties for repeated unlicensed engineering practice and creates an engineering student loan assistance program for engineers working for state agencies and water management districts; after adopting an amendment clarifying eligibility, the committee reported the bill favorably.
The committee then heard SB 408, by Senator Grall, which would create a Florida cause of action against vaccine manufacturers that advertise in the state, allowing injured individuals to sue in Florida courts. Supporters argued the bill would rebuild public trust and hold manufacturers accountable, while opponents from the Florida Justice Reform Institute, American Tort Reform Association, BIO, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, and several medical and business groups argued the field is largely preempted by federal law, that existing federal compensation programs already address vaccine injuries, and that the bill raises First Amendment and policy concerns. After debate focused on vaccine injury data, compensation rates, and liability, the committee voted SB 408 favorably.
The committee also considered SB 484 and SB 1118, both by Senator Avila, dealing with data centers. SB 484 would preserve local planning authority, bar nondisclosure agreements that prevent disclosure of potential data center development, require the PSC to set large-load tariff requirements so data centers pay their own costs, and limit consumptive use permits for large-scale data centers absent no harm to water resources and compliance with local zoning; supporters emphasized ratepayer protection and economic development, while some witnesses urged flexibility for behind-the-meter projects and confidentiality in negotiations. The bill was reported favorably. SB 1118 would create a time-limited public records exemption for county or municipal information about data center siting and protect proprietary business information; Senator Pizzo raised concerns about how the exemption would affect disclosure of competing projects and local officials’ ability to speak, but the sponsor said he would work on clarifying the language. The committee also passed SB 1050, by Senator Calatayud, which requires veterinarians to provide pet owners with written prescriptions and information about pharmacy choice while preserving veterinary judgment and emergency dispensing authority. The meeting concluded after all bills were reported favorably and members recorded additional votes on prior items.
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- The first one was a vote to provide for 1% sales tax, 1 cent tax on everybody for infrastructure, which
- </c> County on top of the 1 cent sales tax County on top of the 1 cent sales tax extra<00:37:33.119><
- and deal with taxes.
- um which impose taxes and and deal<00:47:59.440><c> with</c><00:47:59.599><c> taxes.
- </c> in addition to what taxes they do pay. in addition to what taxes they do pay.
Committee:
Senate Revenue