Transcript Highlights:

• And I go up north to Fletcher. I don't represent the university.
• our Department, CareerSource, Department of Education, DCF, the State University System, and agency
• system and CareerSource, the Department of Education, DCF, and the State University System.
• Oftentimes the state colleges and tech colleges are incredible partners for us in these projects, and
• Through Operation Faithful Service, which we've discussed already, we manned Jewish day schools and college

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met to organize for the session, take roll, and hear introductory remarks from members and agency heads. Members briefly introduced themselves and their districts, with several noting transportation, economic development, emergency response, military, and hurricane recovery issues in their areas. Chair Shove then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction and current-year budget, noting a total of about $20.3 billion, with most funding coming from trust funds and only a small share from general revenue. The committee also heard that upcoming meetings would include presentations from major agencies in the subcommittee’s purview. The first agency presentation was from the Department of Military Affairs and the Florida National Guard. Major General John Haas described the Guard’s three missions—supporting national security, responding to state emergencies, and adding value to the state—and highlighted deployments for hurricanes, border security support, and ongoing support to the Department of Corrections. He emphasized that the Guard is understrength relative to Florida’s size and demand, said recruiting is strong, and identified force structure growth as the main challenge. Members asked about aircraft, funding sources, and recruiting; Haas explained the Guard’s helicopter and fixed-wing fleet, said aircraft purchases are funded through legislative appropriations, and reported strong interest in the Florida State Guard’s recruiting pipeline. Executive Director Mark Thieme then described the Florida State Guard’s expansion into air, ground, and maritime capabilities, including Black Hawks, boats, drones, canine search-and-rescue teams, and ground support units. He said the agency supported immigration enforcement and hurricane response, and asked for continued legislative support to expand aviation, maritime, and medical capabilities. Members praised the Guard’s disaster response work and asked about aircraft, funding, and staffing. Secretary Cord Byrd of the Department of State followed, focusing on election administration, election security, the SunBiz and voter registration IT systems, arts and culture, corporations, libraries, and historical resources. He said Florida’s election system remains a national model, reported two prosecutions for non-citizen voting, and discussed modernization needs for legacy IT systems. The committee also asked about voter lookup tools, password privacy for SunBiz, and arts funding vetoes. Secretary Alex Kelly of the Department of Commerce described the agency’s broad portfolio, including workforce, economic, community, and international commerce functions, plus housing recovery, broadband, small business support, rural infrastructure, defense-community grants, and law enforcement recruitment bonuses. He said access to capital is the biggest barrier for small businesses and noted ongoing work with CareerSource, the Department of Corrections, and other partners on workforce and reentry. Secretary Jared Perdue of the Department of Transportation then outlined FDOT’s record budget and five-year work program, emphasizing emergency response, preservation and maintenance, safety, and major investments in roads, ports, airports, transit, and spaceport infrastructure. He said the department has removed millions of cubic yards of storm debris, is ahead of schedule on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, and faces a large unfunded project backlog. Members asked about supply chain issues, project priorities, and workforce needs, and Perdue said FDOT is open to collaboration on recruitment and retention.

Transcript Highlights:

• prepared for college and life after high school.
• I flew through pre-calculus and calculus, and soon I was sitting in classes on a college campus while
• I flew through pre-calculus and calculus, and soon I was sitting in classes on a college campus while
• And it's because of his help that I received a full merit scholarship to the College of William and Mary
• Charter schools also increase college enrollment and degree completion.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a lengthy hearing on a large slate of bills focused primarily on charter school policy and vocational technical education. Committee members opened with ground rules for testimony, including a two-minute limit, written testimony acceptance, and a live-streamed format. The committee then heard testimony on bills to expand collective bargaining rights in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools, reform charter school funding and reimbursement, allow enrollment preferences for high-need students in charter lotteries, and require BESE to consider district impacts when approving new or expanded charters. Several witnesses, including union leaders, parents, educators, and legislators, argued that charter growth has strained district budgets and that funding formulas should be reworked to better protect public schools; charter advocates and alumni countered that charter schools serve high-need students well and should not be penalized for their success. A major portion of the hearing focused on vocational technical education bills, including proposals to expand access and capacity, create a large grant program, and increase MSBA reimbursement rates for vocational school construction. Supporters described long waitlists, strong labor-market demand, and the higher cost of building and maintaining vocational schools, while municipal officials emphasized the tax burden on local communities. The committee also heard testimony on charter school reimbursement bills that would extend the state’s reimbursement schedule, with witnesses from districts such as Boston, Worcester, Fall River, and New Bedford describing large net losses to charter tuition and arguing for longer reimbursement periods and structural reform. The committee took no final votes during the hearing. In one instance, the chair said a bill would be held open until a missing senator could testify. Members asked several detailed questions about charter admissions lotteries, special education placements, funding formulas, and the practical effects of proposed charter caps and reimbursement changes. The hearing remained informational, with witnesses and committee members presenting sharply different views on whether the bills would improve equity and opportunity or harm existing public school systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm just wondering how universal pre-K figures into this dynamic.
• meet the specific needs of students as determined by that universal screener and the diagnostic.
• meet the specific needs of students as determined by that universal screener and the diagnostic.
• And the progress monitoring is very important. that tier one universal instruction, all that tier one
• </c><00:50:12.559><c> findings</c><00:50:12.880><c> from</c> universal screener and the findings from

Committee: Joint Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And what's more?
• And he said that, and it actually broke my heart. And so there, I think, and Ms.
• It also guarantees post-secondary transfer of credits to the Florida College System, and it also requires
• The Florida College System, and it also requires an annual review of the personalized academic and career
• You'll see the four members from the university, around 193, four members from college, around 197, four

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum and considered three bills. House Bill 1145 by Representative Shoaf would clarify that public charter schools may participate in the CAP grant program and expand the number of eligible programs under the money-back guarantee workforce education provision from three to six. Supporters said it would broaden access and encourage outcomes-focused training; members asked about fiscal impact and repayment concerns. The bill passed 16-0 and was reported favorably. House Bill 127 by Representative Kendall addressed exceptional student education and workforce credentialing. A strike-all amendment broadened the bill to include all students with disabilities, use the term micro-credential, involve the Department of Education, the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities, and OSHA, and add validation by special education staff and an IEP team member. Public testimony included support from Goodwill and others, while one witness raised concerns about IDEA compliance, voluntariness, and funding. Members debated those issues, with supporters emphasizing that the bill was not mandatory and would help transition students into work; the amendment was adopted and the bill then passed 15-0. House Bill 571 by Representative Kendall would expand career planning and work-based learning opportunities for students, require the Articulation Coordinating Committee to evaluate apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs for postsecondary credit, allow more flexible work-based learning, provide career days for students age 16 and up, guarantee transfer of certain credits to the Florida College System, and require annual review of personalized academic and career plans. Several industry and education groups appeared in support, no one spoke in opposition, and the bill passed 15-0 and was reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:26:17.039><c> them</c><00:26:17.159><c> to</c> college credits and to connect them to college
• ><c> already</c><00:47:49.480><c> subject</c> in and out and they are already subject in and out and
• ordinances as we see our universities and our research... opposition please proceed so this would opposition
• </c><00:59:31.680><c> and</c> critical government agencies and and critical government agencies and and
• </c> and learn about Regional policy and and learn about Regional policy and initiatives<01:03:59.319

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a college education, I have no children, and I'm still struggling to make ends meet.
• Franklin, a current Yale College first-year studying global affairs, and a born-and-raised Phoenix, Arizona
• continue those on to older and college-level students.
• , and Yavapai College.
• Prescott College, and I'm not quite there with them yet.

Bills: HB2416 , HB2663 , HB2759 , HB2806

Committee: Senate Military Affairs and Border Security

Keywords: border security, drug trafficking, human smuggling, law enforcement funding, Arizona, public safety, immigration, military leave, national guard, employment rights, paid leave, disaster response, veterans services, education programs, funding, appropriation, Yavapai county, lawful presence, public programs, verification

Transcript Highlights:

• continue universal access to school breakfast and lunch after federal pandemic funds ended.
• We're supported by the University of California, Merced, and a number of partners across the region.
• The universities are also very concerned with ag business, ag economics, and ag technology to help in
• The universities are also very concerned with ag business, ag economics, and ag technology to help in
• I have a 19-year-old godson that I thought, you know, we had this career path for college and that was

Summary: The joint informational hearing at Fresno State focused on cost pressures in California’s food system and how those pressures affect households, farmers, and small businesses. Opening remarks emphasized Fresno State’s role in the Central Valley economy and the region’s importance to the state and nation’s food supply. Members said the hearing was part of a broader “pocketbook tour” to gather local input on affordability, food costs, labor, water, regulation, and market conditions, and they noted the added strain from the federal shutdown’s impact on CalFresh benefits and food insecurity. The first panel featured an agricultural economist, a PPIC researcher, and a Small Business Development Center leader. The economist described agriculture’s outsized role in the Central Valley’s GDP, employment, exports, and food manufacturing, while identifying water scarcity, SGMA-related land fallowing, labor shortages and rising labor costs, market uncertainty, invasive pests, and rising production costs as major barriers. The PPIC witness said food prices remain much higher than before the pandemic, household budgets are under pressure, and California’s nutrition safety net—especially CalFresh, WIC, and school meals—reduces poverty significantly, though federal changes and the shutdown could weaken that support. The SBDC representative highlighted technical assistance, capital access, and training for farm-adjacent businesses, but warned that reduced funding and ownership-transition challenges are making it harder for small businesses and farms to adapt. The second panel brought testimony from a small produce grower, a food entrepreneur, and the Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO. The grower said input costs such as fertilizer, fuel, irrigation supplies, land leases, labor, and compliance have risen sharply while wholesale prices have not, leaving small farmers with thin or negative margins and delayed disaster assistance. The food entrepreneur described scaling barriers for small food processors, including the lack of local small-batch processing facilities, higher distribution costs, and the need for better education on labeling and regulatory compliance. The Farm Bureau leader argued that farmers are price takers, not price setters, and said consumer food prices are driven largely by transportation, processing, packaging, and retail costs rather than farm-gate prices; he also stressed the importance of exports, water infrastructure, land preservation, ag burn rules, and continued investment in technology and labor solutions. Members asked about ways to help small farmers, land access, farm-to-school participation, ag burn restrictions, and water reliability. Witnesses suggested grants or programs to help small farmers buy land, more local processing capacity, continued investment in water conveyance and recharge, and stronger support for technical assistance and innovation. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with members thanking the panelists and inviting continued input as they prepare future legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's because this is about people who have jobs and occupations, and then we have businesses, and
• Through my work collaborating with artists, nonprofits, schools, healthcare systems, and universities
• And so my hope and my invitation to you all is that, And so my hope and my invitation to you all is that
• And we looked at a way of doing it by placing these things on college campuses.
• And that's not salaries and wages. $150,000 per year, and that's not salaries and wages, that's just

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on the Arts

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:24:36.640><c> are</c> colleges and those programs that are colleges and those programs that are
• It would go to the university or college, which would get to see it first, and they would have an opportunity
• So it could be kind of one of those things. university or college would get to see university or college
• </c> they would have the the college they would have the the college university<00:32:02.080><c> affected
• it</c><00:39:59.760><c> shouldn't</c> for the college program and it shouldn't for the college program

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• You can apply for college. You can apply for a car and home and everything else online.
• You can apply for college. You can apply for a car and home and everything else online.
• You can apply for college. You can apply for a car and home and everything else online.
• and her master's degree in public administration from Auburn University.
• </c> university faculty and administrations. university faculty and administrations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill defines eligible persons as a child under 18, a dependent college-aged child up to 26, and a
• Because of that support, I attend school, plan for college, and look toward a career.
• I represent the Florida Association of Post-Secondary Schools and Colleges.
• , scam colleges, and failing students followed the 2009 deregulation, and allowed hundreds of new nursing
• I'm here representing Chamberlain University, and we have two nursing schools in the state of Florida

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum present and took up several health-related bills. CS/SB 1110, covering Medicaid and insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including activity-specific devices without lifetime or continuous-use caps, received emotional testimony from families and athletes describing high costs and the importance of access for children and adults with disabilities. Members voiced strong support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 1574, which would add biliary atresia screening to the newborn screening program using the existing birth blood specimen. The sponsor and a parent testified that earlier detection could prevent severe liver damage, transplants, and deaths, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 794, dealing with background screening for employees at residential facilities and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities and a review of waiver support coordination, was amended to align with the House companion and then reported favorably after testimony emphasizing the importance of strong support coordinators for APD waiver families. Members then considered SB 162, requiring hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies for smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. Nurses and other supporters described surgical smoke as a serious occupational hazard, while the Florida Hospital Association said hospitals are already regulated in this area and the bill was somewhat prescriptive; an amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 254, which tightens oversight of nursing education programs, adds preceptorship and provisional licensure pathways for graduates awaiting NCLEX results, and increases transparency and accountability for low-performing programs, drew support from nursing advocates and opposition from private nursing schools concerned about workforce impacts; after amendment, it was reported favorably. Finally, SB 688 to reestablish licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors in Florida was heard with testimony both supporting expanded health care choices and opposing the bill over safety and scope concerns, and it too was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• My journey into Delta Land started when I was just 19 years old on the college campus of Xavier University
• I did want to recognize Dan Chao, a student at the University of Pennsylvania and an advocate for all
• And to wear the uniform as a very young man long before I went to college or went to study law or engaged
• And to wear the uniform as a very young man long before I went to college.
• Thank you. and to wear the uniform as a very young man long before I went to college or went to study

Transcript Highlights:

• Deborah Conded, a registered lobbyist for ACOG, which is the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• of Women Voters of New Mexico and the American Association of University Women.
• of Women Voters of New Mexico and the American Association of University Women.
• deans of colleges of nursing. ...nurse practitioner council representation, and deans of colleges of
• And that would include community colleges also? Yes.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Suzanne earned her Associate of Arts from Centralia College in 2000, and she attended Western Governors
• She's also pursued additional education at the University of Puget Sound and Washington State University
• Suzanne brings valuable experience and perspective to the Clark College Board of Trustees, also as a
• Her opportunities for everyone is truly a benefit to Clark College students and the Board of Trustees
• Jesse Johnson graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in 2016 and with a

Bills: SB5223 , SB5286 , SB6002 , SB6178 , SB5892 , SB5177 , SB6039 , SB5874 , SB5863 , SB5972 , SB5941 , SB5203 , SB6014 , SB5993 , SB5831 , SB5928 , SB5912 , SB5825

Summary: The Senate convened with ceremonial opening activities, approved the previous day’s journal, and referred committee reports and new introductions, including SB 6346, to the appropriate committees. It also confirmed several gubernatorial appointments to college and board positions: Glenn F. Ellis to the Peninsula College Board of Trustees, Suzanne Donaldson to the Clark College Board of Trustees, and Jesse E. Johnson to the Highline College Board of Trustees, each by large bipartisan margins. The chamber then considered and passed a series of bills, often after suspending the rules to move them directly to final passage. These included SB 6014 on pregnancy-related accommodations; SB 5863 on preservation and inspection of Lakeland Village historical records; SB 5874 on correcting unemployment insurance employer reporting procedures for small businesses; SB 5972 expanding interest arbitration for certain correctional employees; SB 5286 formalizing reimbursement for local public safety services provided to state hospitals; SB 5877 making a technical correction related to certified anesthesiologist assistants; SB 5904 restricting nursing titles to licensed human persons; SB 5915 updating the health technology assessment program; SB 5919 creating voluntary wildfire-prevention incentives for agriculture; SB 5938 adjusting foreclosure prevention fees and exemptions; SB 5957 expanding the Homeless Youth Advisory Committee; SB 6102 aligning the ambulance transport quality assurance fee with federal rules; and SB 6103 advancing a rural hospital conversion intended to help East Adams Hospital remain open. The most debated measures were SB 5825, which authorizes the Washington State Leadership Board to solicit gifts, grants, and endowments, and SB 6002, which regulates automated license plate reader systems and driver privacy. On SB 5825, two Jeff Wilson amendments seeking to limit administrative use of donated funds and cap contributions were both rejected, but the bill ultimately passed 33-16. On SB 6002, an amendment to broaden authorized uses of ALPRs was rejected, a striking amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 48-9 after extensive floor debate focused on privacy, surveillance, law enforcement utility, and the need for clear rules. Most other bills passed with little or no opposition, though SB 5972 and SB 5203 drew some dissent over impacts on smaller counties and land-use concerns tied to wildlife connectivity planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I go to Arizona State University, and I'm majoring in justice studies and political science.
• And students do have a variety of choices, and I think that's important in both programs, with 67 colleges
• and universities participating across the region.
• I just had a question, because I understand the concept in regards to the universities and that, but
• This is with colleges and universities only. We do not have a K-12. Okay, so it's just with K-12.

Committees: House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the director of the rehabilitation counseling program at the University of Hawaii at Monoa and I've
• </c><00:04:56.000><c> I've</c> University of Hawaii at Monoa and I've University of Hawaii at Monoa and
• And I also like the fact that you have my bachelor's from the University of Hawaii.
• And I also like the fact that you have my bachelor's from the University of Hawaii.
• And I also like the fact that you have my bachelor's from the University of Hawaii.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard a series of gubernatorial nominations, primarily to the State Rehabilitation Council, the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs (PABEA), the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, and the Center for Nursing Advisory Board. Nominees included Patrick Gartside, Judith Daniels, James Montgomery (not present), Christine Park, Tammy Napoleon, Scott Spelina, Roy Katsuda, and Dr. Sylvia Rom. Each nominee described their background and why they wanted to serve, with recurring themes of disability advocacy, vocational rehabilitation, nursing workforce development, elder issues, and LGBTQ+ health and community support. Department of Human Services and Executive Office on Aging representatives generally testified in strong support of the nominees and emphasized their qualifications and relevance to the boards’ missions. Members and agency witnesses also discussed substantive policy issues during the nominations. For PABEA nominee Scott Spelina, the committee asked about a bill involving strict liability and elder abuse-related criminal penalties; Spelina supported the approach, saying it would be easier to enforce and better protect seniors. For other nominees, testimony highlighted the need for stronger rehabilitation services, qualified vocational rehabilitation counselors, adult education partnerships, and nursing recruitment and retention, especially on Kauaʻi. Dr. Sylvia Rom’s nomination drew broad support from commission members and community supporters, with testimony focusing on LGBTQ+ health, gender-expansive youth, and intersectional advocacy. No final votes were taken during the hearing. The chair repeatedly stated that decision-making would be deferred until later in the calendar, and in some cases until the nominee was present or quorum was available. One nomination, James Montgomery, was skipped because he was not present on Zoom, and Kevin Nakamura’s nomination was also deferred to a later date. The committee accepted written and oral testimony and generally moved through the nominations without questions from members.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also participated in 11 out-of-state events at colleges and universities, and I will read off the
• Cloud University, Portland State University, West Texas A&M, UCLA, and San Diego State University.
• universities for students that live in New Mexico and are attending online schools.
• and universities and working with these communities.
• and with free college and removing those barriers, we say you need to take 6 college credits so you

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><03:31:52.880><c> students</c> and they were full-time college students and they were full-time college
• </c><04:29:36.399><c> dorm</c><04:29:37.399><c> and</c> apartment in a college dorm and apartment in
• I grew up in New Hampshire and watched as many of my childhood friends and friends from college were
• </c> for college and planned to stay for college and planned to stay Hereafter<04:51:31.638><c> is</c
• ><c> only</c><04:52:03.360><c> helps</c> college students and this not only helps college students and

Committee: House Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we will be hearing the Governor's proposals on universal school meals, expanded learning, and community
• I'll begin with an overview of the Universal Meal Program projections and then move on to the Kitchen
• After I left working at ASES, After I left working at ASES and ultimately graduated from college, I ran
• opportunities, universal school meals, universal pre-kindergarten, and meaningful community engagement
• We're strongly in support of continuing to fund universal school meals and kitchen funding.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• H.R. 6359 takes a straightforward approach by requiring colleges and universities that receive federal
• and universities that requiring colleges and universities that receive<02:25:41.680><c> federal</c><
• H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students Rights Act, which requires colleges and universities that receive federal
• H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students Rights Act, which requires colleges and universities that receive federal
• H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students Rights Act, which requires colleges and universities that receive federal