Transcript Highlights:

• Not passing this bill, however, has some risk of having a chilling effect on new investment.
• That they're born in New Mexico that gives us a pool that we know that we know that we're dealing with

Transcript Highlights:

• carve out just like last year for glass bottles, glass containers like we see on public beaches or pools
• The Propulsion test, the at-risk vessel program, the vessel TURN-IN program and FWC general order 21.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• it's important to just reiterate for us what the benefit of this is by bringing in and broadening the pool
• Organized Crime Commission, we've done many border operations, and our officers are definitely at risk

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not one huge magic silver bullet that will reduce risk.
• The Lastinger Center has been able to pool together some pretty significant databases that include over

Summary: The Education Postsecondary Committee held its first meeting and focused on state university centers and institutes, with an overview from the Board of Governors on how the more than 500 centers and institutes across Florida’s public universities are categorized, overseen, and reported. The Board described three categories: state-level centers, legislatively established centers, and university-established centers. Members were told universities must maintain policies, notify the Board of changes, publish public inventories, and submit annual reports and compliance certifications. Senator Harrell asked about funding sources and whether underperforming centers are reviewed for elimination; the response was that funding varies by center and that universities decide whether to maintain or disband centers under their own policies, with annual reporting and audit findings shared with the Board. Four university presentations followed. Florida Atlantic University highlighted its Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology, describing research in marine-derived drug discovery, genomics, imaging, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and ocean sustainability, along with spin-off institutes and partnerships that have generated significant grant and contract support. FIU presented its Center of Excellence for Hurricane Damage Mitigation and Product Development, emphasizing the Wall of Wind facility, hurricane and water intrusion testing, code and product innovation, insurance modeling, and future expansion toward higher wind speeds and flood simulation. Florida State University’s High-Performance Materials Institute described work in advanced materials, aerospace composites, sensors, nanocomposites, and AI-enabled materials development, along with patents, industry partnerships, and new facilities tied to economic development. The University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning outlined its work on teacher professional learning, literacy, New Worlds Reading, tutoring, and mathematics supports, including microcredentials, statewide book distribution, and early results showing improved reading confidence and growth. Members generally praised the centers for their research, commercialization, workforce development, and education impacts. Senator Jones and Senator Harrell commended the Lastinger Center’s literacy work and the broader return on investment from these programs, while Senator Berman noted the value of the synergies across institutions. The chair emphasized that future funding requests should clearly show measurable success, commercialization, and statewide impact. The committee then adjourned without any formal votes on legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think anybody at the time understood how big the pool was, so to speak.
• candle, but that level of intervention may not be necessary across the board and may pose its own risks
• A decrease in continuity of pharmacotherapy, low levels of follow-up care for high-risk SUD patients
• designed to cover certain services specifically for Native American individuals with an SUD or at risk
• designed to cover certain services specifically for Native American individuals with an SUD or at risk

Summary: The meeting focused heavily on behavioral health and substance use treatment, especially the IMD exclusion and whether North Dakota should pursue a Section 1115 waiver to allow Medicaid reimbursement for services in institutions for mental diseases for adults ages 21 to 64. Turtle Mountain representatives described major local needs, including limited access to care, high syphilis rates, and the importance of timely public health data. They also discussed the tribe’s recovery center, which opened the prior year, now operating five levels of care with 16 beds, and the desire to expand capacity, possibly through an IMD waiver or related policy changes. Committee members also raised related issues such as rural health transformation funding, telehealth, workforce retention, and the need for better coordination between tribal and state public health systems. A central issue was Turtle Mountain Public Health’s long-running effort to secure a data use agreement with the state so it can receive surveillance data and respond directly to infectious disease cases among tribal members. Speakers said the tribe had a successful COVID-era agreement that allowed faster contact tracing and case management, but that agreement ended with the pandemic. They argued that current delays in sharing data, especially for sexually transmitted infections, leave the tribe unable to respond quickly, while the state and county epidemiology workload is too distant and stretched to be effective. Committee members expressed support and said they would look into the issue, noting that other tribes have secured similar agreements. The committee also heard a detailed presentation from the National Health Law Program on the IMD exclusion. The presenter explained that federal Medicaid law generally bars payment for care in facilities with more than 16 beds, but that states can use other tools such as state plan amendments, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He said IMD waivers are administratively complex, time-limited, and have shown mixed results in other states, with some gains in residential treatment access but limited evidence of improved overdose outcomes or stronger community-based care. He urged the committee to consider broader continuum-of-care solutions and cautioned that waivers alone are not a cure-all. No final vote was taken on the bill draft during the portion shown, but the committee discussed the proposal to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE to HHS to pursue an IMD waiver and report back in the next interim. Members also debated the policy rationale for the 16-bed limit, the role of the state versus tribal sovereignty, and whether the bill should move through the Health Care or Human Services committee in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• required to adhere to practices that are connected to a classroom teacher certification, limiting the pool
• If there's any way that we can increase the number of applicants, the pool that's eligible, we should

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first temporarily postponed SB 920 on mathematics education. The committee then took up SB 1216, which would revise public school personnel compensation rules to give districts more flexibility in using cost-of-living adjustments, recognizing advanced degrees, and adjusting performance pay limits for educators and other school personnel. Senator Rodriguez said the bill would add tools for recruitment and retention without replacing performance pay, and several members spoke in strong support, emphasizing teacher pay, retention, and the need to invest in education. The bill was reported favorably after roll call. The committee next considered SB 1036 on school counselors. Senator Claudio explained that the bill addresses counselor shortages by removing a barrier tied to classroom-teacher certification requirements, which she said limits the applicant pool and makes it harder to recruit and retain counselors. Public testimony strongly supported the bill, including students and school personnel who described high counselor-to-student ratios, limited access to counseling, and the importance of mental health and academic guidance. Members also discussed related support roles such as BRACE advisors and the need for more efficient use of district resources and state support. During debate, senators shared personal examples of how counselors can help students identify goals and access opportunities, while also noting that many counselors are overwhelmed by administrative duties and large caseloads. Senator Claudio closed by saying the bill removes barriers for direct-service professionals and could be paired with future efforts on ratios and streamlined services. CS for SB 1036 was reported favorably by roll call. At the end of the meeting, members recorded their votes on SB 1216, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• required to adhere to practices that are connected to a classroom teacher certification, limiting the pool
• If there's any way that we can increase the number of applicants, the pool that's eligible, we should

Bills: S0920, S1036, S1216

Keywords: mathematics education, career pathways, applied algebra, college readiness, technical education, school counselors, educational standards, certification requirements, evaluation criteria, professional development, public school personnel, salary adjustment, performance salary schedule, cost-of-living adjustment, school administration

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum present and first temporarily postponed SB 920 on mathematics education. The committee then took up SB 1216 on public school personnel compensation, sponsored by Senator Rodriguez, which would give districts more flexibility in educator pay by restoring meaningful cost-of-living adjustments for teachers with direct student contact, allowing recognition of relevant advanced degrees, and removing rigid performance-pay caps. Several senators spoke in support, emphasizing teacher retention, compensation, and education as a state investment. The bill was reported favorably on a unanimous roll call vote. After a brief recess, the committee considered CS/SB 1036 on school counselors, sponsored by Senator Calatayud, to address counselor shortages by removing certification barriers tied to classroom teacher requirements. The sponsor and supporting testimony described recruitment and retention problems, high counselor-to-student ratios, and the need for counselors to focus on student academics, mental health, and college/career readiness rather than administrative duties. Public testimony came from students, educators, and school personnel who described limited access to counselors and the impact on student well-being and college planning. Committee members broadly supported the bill while noting that counselors are often overburdened and that additional support personnel, including BRACE advisors, may also need attention in the future. Senators also discussed broader efficiency measures and the need for schools and colleges to improve access to guidance services. CS/SB 1036 was reported favorably by unanimous vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded their votes on the two bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> The pool is out there.
• I mean, the pool, our our family members who are involved in the process, the bill, the bill spells it

Transcript Highlights:

• complete critical foundational scientific research needed to support additional actions to reduce cancer risk
• ... $69 million has gone to support multi-benefit projects such as flood risk reduction projects and
• So if you look at the allowance pool, I mean, it's reducing quite a bit, just even from 2027 to 2030
• As my colleague Alana said, we are at risk of either shutting down 211 or drastically cutting services
• As Claire and Alana pointed out, the whole network is at risk.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We were asked, like, how many students are at risk?
• that said, you know, before school started, we had every family of our third graders that were at risk
• So the teachers have been working with these students that are at risk throughout the school year.
• We notified our parents at the beginning of third grade if they were considered at risk.
• And so they have been very aware all year long if their child was at risk.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Without the support, their lives would be at risk.
• All said and done, and I future at risk.
• Thank you the risk of financial ruin.
• Today, that promise is at risk.
• Today, that promise is at risk. risk. risk.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 12, this is the data that's reported to my agency, so you can see how in-depth this data collection pool
• They did do a data collection and pool of that data across all of our higher education institutions that
• But some of our criteria when they come to us is that we're the kind of bigger funders in a way, a pool

Transcript Highlights:

• our folks to, let's say, find ways to find efficiencies or save money, and we're rewarded with this pool
• our folks to, let's say, find ways to find efficiencies or save money, and we're rewarded with this pool
• our folks to, let's say, find ways to find efficiencies or save money, and we're rewarded with this pool

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 289, authored by Representative Quam, and adopted a technical A1 amendment before moving the bill forward. Quam explained that the bill is intended to create a mechanism for frontline state employees, faculty, and management to identify waste, inefficiency, and possible savings in agency budgets, with a portion of any savings going back to the state budget and the remainder placed in a special fund for mission-related spending decided by a joint committee. He said the idea grew out of earlier faculty union discussions and that the bill had previously passed with bipartisan support, though it was underused when first enacted. Members generally praised the goal of empowering employees and improving efficiency, but several raised concerns about the bill’s practical operation and low historical use. Representative Jones asked why uptake had been limited and whether current conditions would improve participation; Quam responded that larger budgets and more employee engagement could make the program more useful now. Representative Freiberg and Representative Bonner both supported the concept but questioned whether employees would understand budget constraints and whether the structure might discourage managers from saving money intentionally. Quam argued that employee input would improve decisions, morale, and credibility, and could help justify needed investments. Representative Koznick asked how the bill interacted with the Odyssey Fund, and staff clarified that the two are separate accounts and do not directly affect each other. Representative Koznick also objected to comments he viewed as attacking the administration, and the chair reminded members not to impute motives. Representative Kosnik/Quam indicated openness to future improvements, but Representative Bonner said she was not ready to support the bill in its current form because of concerns about the approval process through MMB and the Legislative Audit Commission. Despite those reservations, the committee ultimately voted to send House File 289, as amended, to the General Register.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Flores: ...who are not in that pool of. For example, El Paso just met the threshold.
• As well as the current pool of local entities that can apply, it doesn't bring them up to 100%.
• So it still would leave 23% non-reimbursed to the current pool as well as any legislation to expand it

Bills: SB 1, SB1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• War and unrest in other countries affect our security and put our supply chains at risk of disruption
• We're competing in the same pool for people who would take these jobs. ...for this same talent.
• We're competing in the same pool for people who would take these jobs in the public sector, many of them
• We're competing in the same pool for people who would take these jobs. for this same talent.
• We're competing in the same pool for people who would take these jobs in the public sector, many of them

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant. The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit. A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• their claims data that can help them in shopping around for different TPAs and better managing their risk
• different TPAs and better<00:13:07.120> managing<00:13:07.680> their<00:13:08.000> risk
• <00:13:08.880> Um<00:13:09.279> there better managing their risk.
• Um there better managing their risk.
• Of the people who are in this pool of type 1 diabetes, those people that would actually take it

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up an insurance-related chronic pain bill and an amendment modeled on language from Massachusetts and Maine. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed after stakeholder meetings because the original bill would have created an unaffordable insurance mandate in New Hampshire. The amendment was intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies by limiting prior authorization and step-therapy barriers so they are not more restrictive than for other treatments, including opioid therapies. After questions, the committee took a straw vote and advanced the amendment. The next item was a department-sponsored bill involving the state’s all-payer claims database. Insurance Department officials explained that the bill would encourage self-funded employer plans to opt in voluntarily by giving them aggregated, deidentified claims information in return. They said self-funded plans cannot be required to report data because of federal law, but the bill would provide an incentive while protecting employee privacy. Members asked detailed questions about who would see the data, whether individual employees could be identified, and how privacy would be enforced; the department said access would be aggregated and deidentified, and employer privacy issues would be governed by ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor. The committee also discussed a glucose-monitoring bill. Members debated whether the bill was aimed at type 1 diabetes coverage or broader access to continuous glucose monitors, and whether it would amount to an unnecessary insurance mandate that could raise premiums. Department testimony estimated the equipment cost and said the annual impact per member would be modest, but also noted that non-insulin therapies have not consistently shown clinically significant A1C reductions. The chair and some members emphasized that the bill should be considered on its own terms as a CGM coverage issue, not as a general diabetes mandate. The committee discussed the bill’s cost implications and asked the department for any prior cost analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• If it's going to be just made broadly public, it's put companies at risk. uh I am and I'm sorry if I'm
• We talked to Primax, as everybody knows they're the risk pool.
• to Primax as everybody knows<04:27:51.880> they're<04:27:52.640> the<04:27:52.920> risk
• <04:27:53.240> the<04:27:53.360> good<04:27:53.640> risk knows they're the risk
• the good risk knows they're the risk the good risk pool. pool. pool.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, if there's a loss history there that just adds risk, or in certain situations, if it's a new
• I mean, we can't, in New Hampshire, we don't force insurance companies to take on risks in the workers
• <00:22:04.000> in<00:22:04.240> the companies to take on risks in the companies to
• take on risks in the workers<00:22:04.799> compensation<00:22:05.559> world.
• where the losses, you know, profit pool where the losses, you know, profit and<00:22:21.520> loss

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You could have certainly fire ignition risk to consider.
• George Covent, on behalf of the California Pool and Spa Association, in support.
• The restoration work is time sensitive, and we risk losing $70 million, most of it tied to restoration
• The restoration work is time sensitive and we risk losing $70 million, most of it tied to restoration
• My mom's cornered. risk and I will contact the U.S.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of water, parks, transportation, species protection, and fisheries bills. AB 430 would require the State Water Resources Control Board to publish an economic and environmental impact study when emergency water regulations are extended over multiple years; the author and supporters from agricultural and water groups said it would add transparency without limiting emergency authority. AB 1139 would expand a CEQA exemption to let county park agencies open existing roads and trails for non-motorized recreation, with supporters emphasizing access to nature and opponents warning about impacts to sensitive habitat, tribal resources, and fire risk. AB 929 would temporarily exempt small community water systems and managed wetlands from certain SGMA pumping reductions and fines; supporters said it would protect vulnerable communities and wetlands, while farm and water coalition opponents argued it would undermine basin-wide groundwater management and shift burdens to other users. AB 1225, creating an Accessibility Advisory Committee for State Parks, drew broad support and passed unanimously. The committee also heard AB 514, which would encourage local water suppliers to develop emergency water supplies for drought and service interruptions; it passed with broad support, though one member cautioned against using scientific research as a loophole. AB 550 would let developers seek incidental take permits for species under consideration for listing, aimed at reducing delays for clean energy projects; environmental groups supported the goal but asked for clearer standards, limits on using research as mitigation, and a fee provision, and the bill passed as amended. AB 697 would authorize an incidental take permit for the State Route 37 interim project in Solano and Marin counties, balancing congestion relief and habitat restoration; supporters stressed long commutes and urgent restoration deadlines, while opponents raised climate, sea-level-rise, and tribal concerns. The bill passed, with some members noting they would continue to work on the measure. Other measures discussed included AB 975, which would give Sutter County a narrow, temporary exemption from streambed alteration agreements for certain damaged small bridges and culverts; county officials described repeated flood damage and long permitting delays, and the bill passed as amended. AB 1056 would phase out transferability of set gillnet permits after 2027, allowing only a final family transfer; supporters framed it as a gradual response to bycatch concerns, while fishing industry opponents said it would unfairly target an existing fishery and set a bad precedent. The committee also took up AB 1146, described by the author as a response to politically motivated water releases; supporters from conservation and water organizations backed the bill. Several bills were voted out to Appropriations, some were left open for later action or add-ons, and the committee repeatedly noted it was working through the agenda without a quorum early in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• What are the risks and dangers for the state or our constituencies in the future?
• But one question I have, Roland, is there is a huge pool of Edwards water in Kinney County.
• Because that's a huge pool there.
• How does that added transparency help GCDs identify the risk earlier and better protect. our aquifers
• Let me rephrase: From a scientific perspective, what is the risk of us continuing to allow that policy

Keywords: 1184, house, all