Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:23.120><c> We</c> specific species data location. We specific species data location.
• Uh wildlife regulation of a poison.
• ><c> with</c><00:51:03.280><c> areas</c> through that data coupled with areas through that data coupled
• </c> regional regulation. regional regulation.
• </c> little input on that. little input on that.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically you've got a full-gain amplifier coming in with the data inputs, which hits the projections
• I think as we have more data, and more specifically more post-House Bill 8 data, those projections will
• The hardest part of these things is data share. It's the data share.
• We've seen some data issues also, and so once you dig through the data, that reduces.
• There's been data issues also, and so once you dig through the data, that reduces.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Higher Education met with a quorum, adopted its interim rules on a 6-0 vote, and heard opening remarks from members and staff introductions. The chair emphasized higher education’s role in workforce development and noted a Legislative Budget Board survey issue that was resolved after a community college initially did not respond because the survey was marked optional. The committee then focused on monitoring implementation of Senate Bill 37, which governs public higher education boards, curriculum review, faculty senates/councils, training for regents, and the ombudsman office. Testimony from Chancellor Brandon Creighton of Texas Tech, Commissioner Wynn Rosser, UNT Chancellor Michael Williams, and Ombudsman Brandon Simmons described how SB 37 is being implemented. They said boards now have stronger authority, faculty senates are advisory, and institutions are reviewing general education curricula and other programs for rigor, relevance, and workforce value. Rosser said the statewide advisory committee is reviewing the core curriculum and board training requirements are being administered, while Simmons reported the ombudsman office has received 73 complaints, opened two investigations, and expects a third, with many complaints outside its jurisdiction or harassing in nature. Members questioned witnesses about transfer credits, board training content, auditing, conflicts of interest, curriculum decisions, and whether any institutions were missing deadlines. Rosser said non-transferable credits have declined since reporting began under earlier law, and that the most common reason is courses outside degree requirements. Witnesses said they were not aware of institutions missing the SB 37 review deadlines. Senators also raised concerns about an appearance of impropriety in a Texas Tech-related matter and about whether a Dred Scott case should be taught in law school, with Creighton saying the curriculum review process did not prohibit teaching Supreme Court cases and that he would follow up. Later testimony from University of Houston, Texas State, UT, and Texas A&M system officials said their systems had updated policies, abolished prior faculty senates, created compliant advisory councils, and completed or were completing core curriculum reviews and related governance changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Van Giffin, we've talked previously offline about this issue, and I appreciate your input.
• We've talked previously offline about this issue, and I appreciate your input.
• And I appreciate your input.
• If we are regulated under a competing board, it could undermine the applications, exams, education, or
• Idahoans chose to keep denturists regulated independently and separate from the dental board.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• put into it to get it where of input put into it to get it where it's<00:03:19.360><c> at.
• This bill frontloads community input.
• This bill frontloads<01:26:13.760><c> community</c><01:26:14.480><c> input.
• </c><01:26:15.120><c> We</c><01:26:15.360><c> heard</c> frontloads community input.
• We heard frontloads community input.

Transcript Highlights:

• And enforcing floodplain management regulations.
• This data is meant to...
• For areas where no flood hazard data exists, the BLE dataset may be the only source of flood risk data
• All data was made available to the regional flood planning groups.
• Or how do they capture that data? Is everything integrated?

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Regulated Industries will now come to order.
• Members, we will take up tab 6, SB 484 on data centers.
• This bill revises Florida law regarding the regulation of large-scale data centers and certain other
• Domestic data centers keep sensitive data on U.S. soil, under U.S. jurisdiction, and subject to American
• Domestic data centers keep sensitive data on U.S. soil under U.S. jurisdiction and subject to American

Bills: S0408 , S0986 , S0678 , S0800 , S1050 , S0484 , S1118

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Transcript Highlights:

• So quickly and very summarily, how banks are regulated.
• Banks have the option to choose to be state-regulated or nationally regulated.
• So rather than being regulated by the Commissioner of Banks, they would be regulated by the Office of
• So rather than being regulated by the commissioner of banks, they would be regulated by the Office of
• I know, obviously, this country does not regulate interchange rates.

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission studying the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses held what leaders described as its last public hearing, though they said the commission would continue meeting to develop a report and recommendations. Chair Paul Feeney and other members noted the issue is complex and that they had sought testimony from a wide range of stakeholders before moving into a more deliberative phase. The commission adjourned after hearing from several in-person and virtual witnesses. Banking and card-industry witnesses, including the Massachusetts Bankers Association, the Card Coalition, the Electronic Payments Coalition, and others, argued that payment cards provide major benefits to consumers and merchants, including convenience, fraud protection, fast settlement, and broad access to electronic commerce. They warned that state-level changes to interchange rules could create a patchwork of conflicting requirements, disrupt global payment systems, and especially affect state-chartered community banks and small businesses. Several also said recent federal actions and litigation, including OCC and NCUA preemption rules and the Illinois interchange-fee litigation, have limited the practical reach of state laws. Restaurant, retail, and convenience-store witnesses pushed for relief from swipe fees, saying independent businesses operate on thin margins and pay fees on amounts that are not really their revenue, such as sales tax and gratuities. They urged transparency, the ability to surcharge, vendor compensation for tax collection, and limits on interchange or related fees. Some witnesses said merchants bear significant fraud and chargeback costs and that banks and card networks have not offered enough direct relief. Commissioners asked questions about surcharging, fee regulation, fraud, and whether industry should share more of the burden. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adjourning the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• participating agency shall immediately cease enforcement of the regulation, withdraw that regulation
• This isn't just a data problem. It's a trust problem. Informed consent is not a political issue.
• In pro-life states, this is national data, but we don't have data broken out by state.
• Assisted living communities are state-licensed, state-regulated health care facilities.
• Which allows data to be stored in U.S. territory.

Bills: HB163 , HB216 , HB721 , HB2035 , HB2038 , HB3057 , HB3153 , HB3233 , HB3595 , HB3801 , HB3812 , HB4076 , HB4129 , HB4377 , HB4535 , HB4666 , HB4730 , HB4743 , HB4903 , HB5149 , HB5155 , HB1534 , HB163 , HB216

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first, then established a quorum with five members present. Members heard and left pending several House bills, including HB 4743 on allowing hospitals to license mobile stroke units under a hospital license, HB 4129 on earlier DFPS enforcement tools for single-source continuum contractors in community-based foster care, HB 4903 creating a Quad Agency Child Care Initiative to coordinate child care regulations across state agencies, HB 3812 revising the gold card/prior authorization process for physicians, HB 4535 requiring written informed consent before COVID-19 vaccination and a standardized state information sheet, and HB 4666 reducing the frequency of some HHSC reports to the legislature. The chair also noted HB 35 would be voted on later after a subcommittee back was received, and that a large number of bills would be heard the next day. Most of the testimony focused on HB 4535 and HB 4730. On HB 4535, supporters argued the bill would strengthen informed consent for COVID vaccination by requiring written consent and clearer state-level information about risks, manufacturer liability protections, and adverse-event reporting; opponents, including a pediatrician and medical groups, said existing federal and state informed-consent materials already cover these topics and warned the bill could create duplicative paperwork and penalties. On HB 3812, the Texas Medical Association supported changes that would extend the gold-card evaluation period to one year, raise transparency, and make prior authorization exemptions easier to administer, while health plans said they were neutral and viewed the bill as a balance between reducing burden and preventing fraud or unsafe care. HB 4730 drew extensive testimony from adoption professionals, birth mothers, adoptive parents, and child welfare advocates. The bill would require DFPS to create a relinquishment form, train child-placing agency staff, and extend the minimum waiting period for voluntary relinquishment from 48 hours to seven days. Supporters of the current law argued the 48-hour period aligns with hospital discharge, allows informed decisions, and helps birth parents and adoptive families begin healing and bonding without pushing children into foster care or creating legal and Medicaid complications. The author said the bill would be revised and that the seven-day provision was a work in progress. No votes were taken on the bills during the meeting; each bill was left pending after public testimony closed.

Transcript Highlights:

• H. 5115, an act establishing statewide food truck regulations, filed by Rep. Hogan.
• And our group is pro-regulation and patient safety.
• To be clear, we support regulation, but we want the right regulation, and we would like to partner and
• Third, there is a risk of duplicating existing regulation.
• Third, there is a risk of duplicating existing regulations.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health heard testimony on four bills: H. 5013 and S. 2928, which would establish a three-year celiac disease screening pilot program for children during routine cholesterol/lipid screening at ages 8 to 12; H. 5087, regulating medical spas; and H. 5115, establishing statewide food truck regulations, though the transcript focused almost entirely on the celiac and medical spa bills. For the celiac proposal, Rep. Badger and Sen. Lovely described long diagnostic delays, the lack of a cure, and the potential for a simple blood test to identify children earlier and reduce long-term harm. Multiple patients, clinicians, and researchers supported the pilot, saying celiac is frequently missed because symptoms vary widely or are absent, and that early detection could prevent malnutrition, growth problems, osteoporosis, and other complications. Testifiers also emphasized that the bill would study feasibility, accuracy, cost, and acceptability, and would include family education and support resources if diagnoses are made through the program. Several experts and advocates backed the celiac screening pilot, including a pediatric gastroenterologist from Italy who described successful national screening efforts there, a Celiac Disease Foundation representative, pediatric gastroenterologists from Massachusetts and Colorado, a pediatric dietitian, and a parent whose child was diagnosed after severe malnutrition. They argued that routine screening alongside existing pediatric bloodwork could identify many undiagnosed children and improve health equity, since celiac disease is often overlooked in people of color and lower-income patients. Committee members asked about how the screening would work, and witnesses explained it could begin with a blood test, followed by confirmatory endoscopy if needed. No vote was taken in the hearing. On H. 5087, witnesses from the medical aesthetics industry largely opposed the bill as written, saying it was outdated, redundant with existing Massachusetts licensing and board oversight, and too restrictive for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other licensed providers. Testifiers, including a retired lobbyist, a nurse practitioner, a PA, a plastic surgeon, and a clinic owner, said the bill could reduce access, raise costs, and push care into less regulated settings, while not addressing the real issues of training, compliance, and patient safety. Committee members pressed for more specific feedback on what provisions were unnecessary or duplicative, and witnesses said they had submitted position papers and written testimony identifying conflicts with current law. The hearing ended with the chair noting that all oral and written testimony would be reviewed before any decisions are made.

Transcript Highlights:

• The most recent data we have from UCOP as of last spring, which was UCOP's one-year update, suggests
• So these will be the CalNAGPRA enforcement regulations. Thank you. Thank you so much.
• visualizations... ...to include a map of campus holdings and data visualizations for Federal Register
• The report names the 2024 federal NAGPRA regulation changes as a direct threat to CalNAGPRA's promise
• It provides data and timelines that we can use in our advocacy.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the University of California’s compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and CalNAGPRA, based on the California State Auditor’s April 2025 report and updates from UC and tribal representatives. Committee members and tribal witnesses emphasized the moral urgency of returning ancestral remains and cultural items, criticized the lack of clear timelines and accountability, and noted that other institutions have repatriated collections more quickly. The State Auditor said UC still has major gaps in identifying collections, completing campus searches, setting measurable deadlines, securing items, and fully using repatriation funding; the auditor projected that some campuses could take until 2037, 2041, 2053, or even 2089 to finish at current rates, and said 12 of 19 audit recommendations remained open. The Native American Heritage Commission said progress has been too slow and that new CalNAGPRA enforcement regulations are being finalized. UC Office of the President and campus leaders responded that the university has made substantial changes since 2019, including a revised NAGPRA policy, expanded staffing, new committees with tribal representation, more consultation, and more financial support for tribes. UC said it has repatriated more than 9,000 ancestors, 280,000 associated funerary objects, and 59,000 other cultural items systemwide, and that it is continuing to implement audit recommendations and improve transparency through a repatriation dashboard and funding information. Berkeley, San Diego, Riverside, and Santa Barbara each described campus-specific progress, including more staff, more consultations, more site reviews, and updated timelines; Berkeley said it is on track to publish remaining ancestors by the federal deadline, San Diego said it has repatriated 73% of remains and about 53% of cultural items, Riverside said nearly all known ancestors and associated funerary objects have been noticed or repatriated, and Santa Barbara said it has restructured its program and added staffing and tracking systems. Members pressed UC on why timelines remain so long, why some campuses still lack clear completion dates, and whether the Legislature should use budget tools to increase accountability. The auditor suggested the Legislature could consider stronger funding conditions and clearer expectations, while some members noted constitutional limits on earmarking UC’s base budget. UC said repatriation must be tribally led, that consultation and reburial can take time, and that some delays stem from incomplete records, overlapping tribal claims, and the need to reunite items with ancestors. No formal vote or action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do not include DMAP data, only data reported through the license reporting system.
• But we've looked at a lot of data, a lot of deer movement.
• That is what the data suggests at this point.
• Probably don't have the statistical data on this.
• So there may be a high fence that is regulated by both.

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, approval of the agenda, and approval of the prior minutes, followed by a presentation from Julie Grenwald of Louisiana Hunters for the Hungry. She described the nonprofit’s work collecting and distributing protein to food banks and agencies statewide through freezer clean-out days, deer donations processed by more than 50 processors, fish donations through Venice Marina, and a paused-but-planned-to-reopen feral hog program. Members asked about processor locations, signage, exotic species, funding, sponsorships, and disease safety; Grenwald said the program is protected under Louisiana’s Good Samaritan Law and that wildlife and fisheries agents help connect processors and promote the program. She also noted the organization is looking for more partners and ways to expand access and awareness. The task force then received an update from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on chronic wasting disease testing. Jonathan Bordelon reported more than 2,800 samples collected and over 2,300 results returned, with nine positives to date: eight in Tensas Parish and one confirmed new detection in Concordia Parish from a hunter-harvested deer. He said the Concordia positive triggered the state’s CWD response plan, including a declaration of emergency and a future rulemaking process to adjust control-area boundaries. Members asked about symptomatic deer, harvest trends, and whether the disease appears to be spreading along the river; Bordelon said most positives were asymptomatic hunter-harvested deer and that harvest numbers remain near record highs. William McKinley of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks then gave an extensive presentation on Mississippi’s CWD experience. He said Mississippi has had 529 detections across 18 counties since 2018, with prevalence rising from about one in 500 samples to roughly one in 40 this year, and that some counties near the Tennessee line are seeing severe impacts. He described Mississippi’s surveillance system, voluntary sampling, taxidermist partnerships, targeted tags for properties near positives, bans on feeding and baiting in CWD zones, and research on environmental contamination, raccoons, and strain differences. Members asked about high-fence enclosures, live deer movement restrictions, Tennessee’s regulations, environmental testing capacity, and whether more aggressive measures or LSU research capacity could help Louisiana; McKinley said the disease is expanding despite management efforts and emphasized early detection, rapid response, and continued interstate coordination.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 2992 is the Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026. Is there a PCS?
• House Bill 2992 would require data centers to pay their share of infrastructure costs associated with
• And so the first part of this bill deals with battery storage protections and regulations.
• Even some of the largest data centers employ less than 150 people, sometimes as few as 25.
• And I think... ...by this rule, by these provisions, to approve a data center.

Bills: HB2989 , HB3724 , HB2992 , HB3464 , HB4246 , HB3989

Committee: House Utilities

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 4246, which would expand training and technical assistance options for rural water-related programs by allowing the state to consider qualified suppliers other than the Rural Water Association. After brief questions about the type of vendors involved, the bill received a 7-0 due pass vote. House Bill 3989 followed and was described as cleanup language continuing prior negotiations among the oil and gas industry, electric co-ops, and investor-owned utilities; the committee adopted the PCS and passed the bill 7-0. Members then considered House Bill 2992, the Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026. The committee adopted a PCS and an amendment reducing the threshold from 100 megawatts to 75 megawatts. The bill would require data centers to pay infrastructure costs tied to their electricity demand so those costs are not shifted to other ratepayers; it passed 7-0. House Bill 3464, which adds protections and regulatory requirements for battery storage and updates transparency and decommissioning provisions for wind and solar projects, also passed 7-0 after adoption of a PCS. House Bill 3724, as revised in a second PCS, drew the most debate. It would define high-demand facilities to include data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, AI computing facilities, and large battery storage systems, and would impose restrictions on subsidies, infrastructure costs, water use, foreign ownership, agricultural land siting, noise, decommissioning, and local approval processes, including a petition mechanism to overturn local decisions. Supporters argued it was needed to protect communities, landowners, water resources, and ratepayers; opponents raised concerns about property rights, agricultural land restrictions, local control, and the petition/recall process. The bill failed on a 2-6 vote and remained in committee. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 2989, which would allow electric utilities to prepare wildfire mitigation plans, create a wildfire mitigation revolving fund, and direct the Conservation Commission to develop a wildfire mitigation test pilot and refine mitigation strategies. With a PCS adopted and no debate, the bill passed 8-0, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> programming and data for the election. programming and data for the election.
• </c><00:35:50.880><c> so</c> so you're removing all of that data so so you're removing all of that data
• using that data, the data you have against the records, and how do I control whether or not they retained
• Thanks for your input.
• &gt;&gt; it's using that data, the data you have &gt;&gt; it's using that data, the data you have against

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> public trust and ensure that regulations public trust and ensure that regulations are<00:54:51.799
• Okay, thank you for coming and thank you for your input. It's really valuable.
• Okay, thank you for coming and thank you for your input. It's really valuable.
• </c><01:15:46.080><c> in</c> uphold the rules and regulations in uphold the rules and regulations in
• </c><01:40:00.159><c> multi-state</c> member states and regulating multi-state member states and regulating

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• I HOPE WE CAN GET THAT DATA SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
• WE ARE GOING TO BE COLLECTING MORE DATA.
• YOU MENTIONED DIVIDENDS AND CLAIMS DATA.
• LET'S COLLECT THE DATA AND GET THAT DATA SOONER.
• IT'S A BIFURCATED MARKET AS YOU CLEARLY SEE WHERE SOME IS REGULATED BY OIR AND SOME REGULATED BY AHCA

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be other uses other than just data centers, but the data centers as a daily load are accelerating
• are 10 new data centers on tap to the top of the list the 10 there are 10 new data centers on tap for
• the use of data centers.
• I need data centers to resolve that.
• So I think that is an excellent regulation.

Committee: House Conservation and Natural Resources

Summary: The Conservation and Natural Resources Committee heard Senate Bill 953, sponsored by Sen. Jason Bean, which would address a projected shortfall in the Department of Natural Resources’ air pollution control program. Bean and supporters from Associated Industries of Missouri, quarry and sand producers, engineering firms, the Missouri Chamber, forest products, and municipal utilities said the bill would stop sweeping unused program funds into general revenue and dedicate a portion of existing sales and use tax revenue from utilities to keep the program solvent without raising permit fees on businesses that have reduced emissions. One informational witness from Armour Vine warned that moving funds out of general revenue could affect broader state revenue and tax triggers. DNR also testified that the fee fund is projected to become insolvent in fiscal year 2028 if current trends continue. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill hearing was closed. The committee then heard House Bills 3362 and 3364, sponsored by Reps. Colin Wellenkamp and Mike Koslow, which would create guardrails for AI/data center buildout around electricity and water use. The sponsors said the bills are intended to protect ratepayers and local water systems by requiring large-load customers to bear their own infrastructure costs, extending consumer protections to co-ops and municipal utilities, and requiring permits and review for major water withdrawals, with emergency shutoff provisions in water shortages. Support came from environmental groups, conservation organizations, rural advocates, Renew Missouri, the Sierra Club, Missouri Municipal League, Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Ameren Missouri, and Missouri American Water, though some witnesses urged tighter thresholds, more frequent reporting, stronger water-quality protections, and clearer definitions to avoid legal ambiguity. Several witnesses also raised concerns about transparency, local impacts, and whether current thresholds are high enough to protect aquifers, springs, and utility customers. The chair closed testimony after noting time limits and adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have meaningfully regulated oil drilling and gas and oil companies in the state.
• There are aspects of this bill that remove local input on green energy projects.
• People should understand that this idea came from the regulated community, and the regulated community
• I appreciate everyone's input. I just want to make sure... ...and discussion.
• I appreciate everyone's input.

Summary: The chamber reconvened after a late-night session and first adopted the consent calendar, including ACR 107 on the Diablo Range, by a 48-0 vote. Members then took up several Senate bills and Assembly measures, with repeated remarks about the long hours and the need to respect staff and keep proceedings moving. A vote change was also announced for Assembly Member Patel on SB 414, changing from aye to not voting. The main policy debate centered on energy, climate, and affordability. SB 237, dealing with oil and gas policy, refinery closures, pipeline safety, Kern County permitting, gasoline blend flexibility, and regional fuel coordination, drew strong support from members who framed it as a managed transition to stabilize fuel supply and protect jobs, and strong opposition from members who called it a giveaway to oil interests and a setback for climate goals. The bill passed 59-0. SB 254, an energy affordability and wildfire package, included wildfire mitigation financing, a successor wildfire fund, transmission cost reductions, clean energy permitting changes, and energization timelines; members raised some concerns about local control, but the bill passed 58-0. SB 840 and AB 1207 advanced the cap-and-invest reauthorization package, with supporters emphasizing emissions reductions, housing, transit, wildfire prevention, and community air programs, while opponents argued it would raise costs and function as a tax-and-spend scheme. SB 840 passed 54-15 and AB 1207 passed 55-10, both with urgency and immediate transmittal. Members also approved SB 352, which makes the Bureau of Environmental Justice permanent and requires air quality monitoring and reporting on AB 617 implementation, by 43-19. AB 825, authorizing California to help establish a Westwide electricity market, was presented as a way to lower bills, improve reliability, and reduce emissions; it passed 67-2 and was sent to the Governor. Additional actions included concurrence in Senate amendments to AB 8 on cannabinoids and AB 383 on firearms cleanup, and the chamber began consideration of AB 764 on wildlife as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• But in terms of nonprofits, if the attorney general wanted to issue consumer protection regulations that
• And when we are asked the questions specifically, I think it's important for regulation to allow the
• So Pennsylvania is very lightly regulated, and most of the CCRCs are quite strong.
• So Pennsylvania, they're very lightly regulated. And most of the CCRCs are quite strong.
• But there's also great demand for the product. regulated. And most of the CCRCs are quite strong.

Summary: The commission met at Brookhaven at Lexington to continue discussing continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), with a focus on financial viability, entrance fees, refund policies, and how the industry is evolving. Speakers explained that nonprofit CCRCs have shifted away from building entirely new campuses since the 2008 financial crisis, and now more often grow through expansions, affiliations, mergers, or added home- and community-based services. They also noted that many newer CCRCs, especially nationwide, are being built without on-campus skilled nursing, relying instead on assisted living, memory care, or off-site arrangements, and that zoning and local approval can affect expansion plans. A substantial portion of the discussion centered on financial health and consumer protection. Panelists said the most important indicators of a strong CCRC are high occupancy, strong liquidity, and reinvestment in the property, with low occupancy and declining days cash on hand cited as warning signs. They described how actuarial reviews are used to estimate health care utilization and set pricing, and said staffing shortages are often a bigger financial pressure than resident care utilization itself. On refunds, speakers said entrance-fee refunds are generally paid when a unit is resold and the new entrance fee is received, and that resident refunds are usually protected even in bankruptcy, though residents are unsecured creditors. Massachusetts examples such as Reed’s Landing and the Groves were cited as cases where residents remained in place and refunds were ultimately protected. The group also discussed a pending disclosure bill on Beacon Hill related to entrance fees and refund transparency. LeadingAge Massachusetts said it supports clearer disclosure so residents understand refund provisions, and reported that among surveyed member CCRCs, the average time to provide an entrance-fee refund over the past two years was about 117 days. Participants emphasized the need to balance consumer protection with preserving the financial stability of the communities. The commission also reviewed upcoming dates: a virtual public hearing/listening session on June 16, the next commission meeting on June 23, and a later discussion planned on consumer rights, protections, and advertising practices. The meeting concluded with introductions of commission members and an invitation for attendees to tour the Brookhaven campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the director of DPS can create any rules or regulations necessary to implement that. All right.
• The original bill relied on a certain set of FBI data in order to rank the prioritization.
• That data doesn't exist. That data doesn't exist. So they asked us to do something different.
• This really focuses on seniority as opposed to non-existent FBI data. Clear it up for everybody.
• To make sure their input is part of that process if you feel like it's important.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It updates encounter data reporting requirements.
• I think there is a limited amount of actual data because the industry is not regulated in any meaningful
• They are certainly not regulated at all. Fertility clinics aren't regulated at all by Florida.
• There's not been any responsible, thoughtful input.
• There's not been any responsible, thoughtful input.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee considered a large agenda of bills and reported several measures favorably. Early action included SB 6, a settled claim bill involving the Department of Children and Families and a trust for Leila Estrada and Sapphire Williams, and CS/CS/SB 1266, which creates a cybersecurity experiential learning and clearance-readiness program through the Department of Commerce and Cyber Florida. The committee also approved SB 532 on clerks of court funding, allowing clerks to retain all excess Article V revenue rather than returning half to the state and clarifying foreclosure sale procedures. In addition, the committee passed CS/CS/SB 1602 and CS/CS/SB 1604 to create and fund a pilot housing program for veterans through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and CS/SB 1110 to expand Medicaid and private insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including testimony from affected families and advocates. The committee also adopted an amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/SB 1012 on inmate services, removing the bill’s medical-services compensation provisions while retaining changes to the inmate welfare trust fund and related facility uses. It also adopted a delete-all amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/CS/SB 1614, which was narrowed to remove a provision allowing local governments to use excess fees to construct new buildings. The committee spent substantial time on CS/SB 17, a Medicaid oversight and transparency bill. The sponsor said the measure would create a joint legislative Medicaid oversight committee, authorize the Legislature to retain its own actuary, modernize Medicaid statutes, strengthen managed-care performance standards, and increase accountability for pharmacy benefit managers and related entities. After amendment, the committee adopted changes removing several PBM-related provisions while retaining the broader oversight framework. Testimony from supporters emphasized transparency, fraud prevention, and cost control, while a PBM trade association asked to continue working on affiliate-manufacturer, network, and payment issues. The bill was reported favorably. The most extensive discussion centered on CS/SB 1758, which proposes major changes to Medicaid and SNAP. The sponsor described five reforms: stronger fraud and overpayment recovery authority, a Medicaid work requirement for certain able-bodied adults, expanded behavioral-health services through Medicaid waivers, pharmacy-program changes to obtain rebates and reduce institutional costs, and SNAP/EBT reforms including photo IDs and work requirements. The committee adopted two amendments: one adding a transitional “glide path” for people who gain employment but risk losing Medicaid, and another exempting hospice patients with six months or less to live. Supporters argued the bill would reduce fraud, improve accountability, and encourage work, while opponents warned it would increase administrative burdens, push eligible people off coverage, and conflict with federal law or guidance. The bill remained under debate with extensive public testimony from advocates, providers, and affected families, and the transcript ends before final disposition on the measure.