Transcript Highlights:

• <00:40:22.680> or or qualified additional training or or qualified additional training or
• <00:42:53.320> AmeriCorps people um with uh trains AmeriCorps people um with uh trains AmeriCorps
• <00:43:18.240> to Recovery Corps paid for her training to Recovery Corps paid for her training
• technical bill similar to the technical technical bill similar to the technical bill<00:53:07.240
• <00:53:21.720> of<00:53:21.840> nature, technical of nature, technical of nature, harmonizing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we trained them in Nebraska.
• We trained them in the Utah area, and then we train a few with WAMI and then we went to this program
• So, we trained them in Nebraska.
• We trained them in the Utah area, and then we train a few with WAMI and then we went to this program
• So, we trained them in Nebraska.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can tell you from a technical perspective.
• of Florida that needs to figure out what kind of education resources, workforce development, and training
• The goal here is to provide both a virtual one-stop linking customers to an array of employment, training
• of Florida that needs to figure out what kind of education resources, workforce development, and training
• The answer to that may be a little bit more technical than I can answer today.

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several state technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Enterprise Business Solution (DEMS). FDEM said DEMS is about 50% complete, with some grants and finance functions already live, and is intended to replace manual disaster and grants processing with a cloud-based system. Officials described faster reimbursement timelines after recent storms, major return-on-investment claims, and a planned final phase focused on design, testing, communications, data governance, and additional functionality. Members asked about the total cost, the role of Florida Digital Service, deliverables-based contracting, and how much of the system is live; FDEM said the project is expected to cost about $16 million to $16.8 million and finish by June 2027, with some follow-up information to be provided. The Department of Legal Affairs presented its Office of Attorney General Modernization Program, a follow-up to an earlier effort that failed after spending about $26 million. Acting Attorney General John Gard said the department has now moved to an off-the-shelf case management product, LawBase, and is in development and testing, with the Office of Statewide Prosecution already live and full implementation expected by the end of the fiscal year. The request includes funding for staff augmentation, cloud storage, the LawBase license, redundancy through a backup site in Orlando, and OnBase support. Members questioned the prior failure, the use of Florida Digital Service standards, data location and cloud migration, and the redundancy plan; Gard said lessons learned included better scoping and that the current effort is on track. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles then updated the committee on Motorist Modernization, including the Orion system and the MyDMV portal. Officials said Phase 1 and Phase 2 have modernized driver license and motor vehicle services, with Phase 2 statewide rollout scheduled to begin in April 2025 and Phase 3 proposed at $16.5 million for dealer services, data warehouse improvements, and call center modernization. Members asked about payment options, organ donor questions, staffing, cybersecurity, cloud strategy, and the digital driver license program. The agency said the portal already allows some sanctions to be cleared online, an ACH option is being developed, the digital driver license vendor has changed with a fall go-live anticipated, and the department is using security testing and a managed security service provider. Officials also said the system is currently on an on-prem private cloud, with future workloads expected to move to public cloud where appropriate. Finally, Florida Commerce presented on the Reemployment Assistance modernization system, Reconnect, and the FLWINS workforce system. Commerce said Reconnect is hosted in the Azure Government Cloud, has reduced claim filing time, improved fraud detection, and increased appeals capacity, and now needs $4.9 million in recurring funding to cover ongoing operations, cloud hosting, licenses, and staff augmentation. Members asked about adjudication issues, wait times, fraud prevention, and whether the system stores caller identifiers; Commerce said the average wait to speak to a representative is about 18 minutes and claims are generally processed in four to six weeks. The committee then began hearing about FLWINS, which is intended to create a “no wrong door” workforce portal under the REACH Act, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Job training and path to career: Naomi already shared some of this with the ability to work, but also
• More Than Words took over all my finances while I wasn't training, like my car and insurance payments
• Through our training and technical assistance, we are training first responders, law enforcement, hospitals
• For example, we run the Training Center for Excellence at UTEC.
• For example, we run the Training Center for Excellence at UTEC.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission on Violence Prevention Services Funding opened by explaining that its purpose is to examine how state dollars for gun violence prevention are being spent, whether they are reaching the right places, and how effective they are. Chair Marjorie Decker noted the commission was created through a legislative bill as part of a broader gun ownership package, and emphasized that the commission will produce recommendations rather than new law. The hearing began with a moment of silence for the National Day of Remembrance for homicide victims, followed by introductions from commissioners and staff. A series of community-based organizations testified about violence prevention, intervention, and survivor services. Emmanuel Williams of the Transformational Prison Project described work with incarcerated and returning youth and families, stressing lived experience, relationship-building, and the impact of budget cuts on travel, staffing, and programming; commissioners asked about his budget, caseload, and funding mix. Teresa D. Grigario and Antonio Gutierrez of Lynn Youth Street Outreach Advocacy said their work focuses on youth ages 12 to 24 in Lynn and Lawrence, with outreach at courts and shooting scenes, and argued that prevention is most effective when it starts early, includes family engagement, counseling, therapy, case management, food, and basic needs support; they said a million-dollar annual budget would help them expand. Ruth Rollins of We Are Better Together/Warren Daniel Hairston Project, speaking as a survivor, called for long-term flexible funding, trauma-informed care, and a community-informed database, and said her organization would ideally need about $2.5 million annually. Ruth Zakarin of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence explained that the commission grew out of listening sessions during the firearms-law update process and said the goal is to identify gaps, support grassroots groups, and address regional equity in resource allocation. Other testimony highlighted youth development, reentry, and survivor response as violence prevention. More Than Words described its job-training and supportive-services model for court-involved, homeless, foster-care, and out-of-school youth, citing high rates of graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and employment; a participant, Jorge, shared how the program helped him avoid adult incarceration and build a career in trucking. The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute described its homicide-response and healing work, noting that it served more than 1,100 survivors in 2024, facilitated healing groups and trainings, and is seeking a permanent center in Dorchester; its leaders said the operating budget is $4.5 million and the desired budget is $8 million. The Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs emphasized that gun violence is a youth health crisis and urged continued investment in after-school and out-of-school-time programs. UTEC called for multi-year, flexible funding, more training and networking support, and attention to nonprofit cost recovery, while Roca described its outreach to high-risk young people, strong outcomes, and major federal grant cuts that forced staff reductions. Portal to Hope discussed domestic violence and stalking services, the importance of on-site police-department-based advocacy, and the instability caused by funding restrictions. New North Citizens Council briefly underscored that violence prevention funding is needed to address poverty, lack of education, and mental health needs. State officials also presented on existing grant programs. Kevin Stanton of the Office of Grants and Research described the Commonwealth Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative and the state’s broader public safety grant portfolio, saying partnerships between law enforcement and community organizations are central to violence prevention and citing seizures of illegal firearms, narcotics, and suspected drug proceeds. Renee Contreras said the Shannon Community Safety Initiative is a national model built on nearly 20 years of sustained investment, with multidisciplinary collaborations in 25 communities and research partnerships guiding strategy and evaluation. Throughout the hearing, commissioners repeatedly asked about budgets, staffing, caseloads, and how organizations measure impact, and several speakers said they would follow up with written materials or additional data.

Transcript Highlights:

• They offer technical assistance.
• They offer technical assistance. and becoming a licensed early learning provider they offer technical
• They are also sometimes providing technical assistance.
• We've been providing technical assistance to this organization since 2022.
• Technical difficulties. Did I proceed without the slides, or wait on the slides?

Summary: The committee held a work session on form-based codes, child care facility siting, and street standards/frontage improvements. On form-based codes, Commerce’s Dave Anderson explained that these codes emphasize building form, orientation, and the public realm more than traditional use and density tables, and that they are typically applied in specific districts rather than citywide or statewide. Lacey’s Vanessa Dolby described the city’s Woodland District code, developed through community charrettes, fiscal and market analysis, and subdistrict-specific standards to create a walkable downtown. She said the approach has helped produce a more desirable built environment and more flexibility in permitted uses, but also noted it can be less user-friendly for applicants and still requires some use restrictions; both presenters said a hybrid approach is often best. The committee then heard from DCYF and multiple providers about barriers to opening child care facilities. DCYF officials said Washington has more than 6,500 licensed providers and that a new pre-licensing support team is helping applicants navigate licensing, but local zoning, building, fire, parking, utility, and occupancy requirements still create delays and confusion. Testifiers described long permitting timelines, inconsistent local interpretations, costly upgrades, and utility hookup delays; one Yakima provider said county requirements, a floodplain-related elevation certificate, and a private well issue stopped her in-home child care proposal, while others described traffic impact fees, parking mandates, and zoning barriers that made projects infeasible. Enterprise Community Partners highlighted examples of successful local reforms, including fee waivers, expedited permitting, and zoning changes in several cities, and DCYF said it is working toward a 2026 action plan and a resource guide for providers. In the final section, planners and developers discussed how street standards and frontage improvement requirements can undermine infill and middle housing. Poulsbo’s planning manager said current standards were designed for greenfield subdivisions and often force costly curb, gutter, sidewalk, stormwater, and utility upgrades on small infill sites, sometimes adding tens of thousands of dollars and causing projects to be abandoned. A Seattle-based developer made similar points about small middle-housing projects being burdened by frontage work, curb ramps, buried standards, and EV-ready parking requirements that can trigger expensive undergrounding. Committee members asked about possible state-level changes, including whether child care should be treated as an essential public facility and whether parking requirements had already been reduced; one senator noted that minimum parking requirements for child care facilities were eliminated in prior legislation, with implementation phased in over the next few years.

Transcript Highlights:

• After that bill was signed, a technical advisory committee was assembled to create the detailed plan,
• The Campus for Hope will provide temporary housing, case management, child care, vocational training,
• And down south, we have Peter Aldous, also with Legal Aid of Southern Nevada, to answer any technical
• So, medical debt. ...any technical questions that there may be.
• ... ...until that area has been judged safe by somebody who's been trained on this equipment.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There will be treatment, there will be training, and part of this bill is to allow $500. a month to help
• Chair, we are extending the sentence, but we're extending the sentence to provide treatment and training
• So it's not like, hey, every kid that comes out of the facilities is going to get job training.
• So, the types of services that Community Corrections provides include job training or job referral.
• CSG provided technical assistance and helped facilitate the support of the PA Licensure Compact.

Transcript Highlights:

• What elements of a crime, and does a deputy get trained on that?
• You know, so, you know, in the police academy, they do get legal training, and we give them law books
• The world has become a very technical place for a criminal defense attorney. So we are gathering.
• The world has become a very technical place for a criminal defense attorney.
• I would also say, as far as the technical, we are in the exact same.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee held its first meeting of 2025, took roll, confirmed a quorum, and heard member introductions before turning to an informational panel on how a criminal case moves through Florida’s system. The chair emphasized respectful committee process and introduced staff, then invited the panel to explain the path from arrest through prosecution, first appearance, arraignment, discovery, trial, plea negotiations, and sentencing. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri described law enforcement discretion, probable cause, misdemeanor and felony arrest rules, pre-arrest diversion, jail operations, and the statewide uniform bond schedule. He also discussed jail overcrowding, supervised release, mental health and substance abuse issues in jails, and the need for better case management and diversion resources. Judge Frank Allman explained first appearance, bond setting, arraignment, trial procedures, plea colloquies, and sentencing under Florida’s punishment code, including downward departures and victim impact statements. State Attorney Jack Campbell outlined charging decisions, the higher proof burden prosecutors must meet, coordination with law enforcement, Baker Act proceedings, victim notification, informations versus grand jury indictments, and the role of diversion and treatment courts. Public Defender Matthew Mets described indigency screening, discovery, the growing volume and technical complexity of evidence, mitigation work, and the importance of treatment-based resolutions. Members asked about time-served credit for supervised release, mental health recidivism, homelessness enforcement, ICE holds, and sentencing discretion; no votes were taken and the meeting ended after the informational presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also provided that the Finance authority could use water project funds to hire technical assistance
• So I believe, technically, we're down one member with a vacancy, but we already have some members.
• I'm not a technical person.
• Otherwise, there are members there whose terms have just technically expired.
• The agency met five of its six FY 25 performance targets, including conducting outreach and training

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<01:03:01.920> that<01:03:02.160> technical to provide that training, that technical
• to provide that training, that technical assistance<01:03:03.200> to<01:03:03.440> ensure<
• <01:11:33.520> and kinds of programs like job training and kinds of programs like job training
• and and others who need technical and and others who need technical assistance<01:35:23.120>
• some new staff development and training some new staff development and training and<02:19:38.639

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide targeted training to help teachers meet the performance metrics, engage in clear feedback
• With over half of first-time teachers entering the profession with no training and high attrition rates
• the importance of technical assistance, so that school districts can implement the Teacher Incentive
• Texas philanthropy since the passage of... in 2019 has been investing in technical assistance, and we're
• Programs like teacher residencies provide on-the-job training that better prepares educators, making

Bills: SB26, SB 26

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, SB 26, Texas Property Code, colonia, colonias, Spanish translation, bilingual contract, real estate contract, executory contract, residential property, border county, international border, economically distressed area, consumer protection, language access, translator certified in Spanish

Transcript Highlights:

• It was just a technical amendment.
• It was just a technical amendment. I said, no, you don't change 75 to 80.
• That is not a technical amendment.
• It was just a technical amendment. I said, no, you don't change 75 to 80.
• That is not a technical amendment.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 137, which would strengthen penalties for knowingly making threats against schools, school activities, students, or school employees. The author said the bill responds to repeated false threats that disrupt schools, frighten families, and divert law enforcement, and it adds education and parental acknowledgment requirements. Members discussed possible juvenile consequences such as public service or physical work at schools, and the bill drew support from law enforcement, district attorneys, and Catholic bishops. It was reported favorably without objection. House Bill 321 followed, addressing Louisiana’s Safe Harbor law by expressly exempting minors from prostitution offenses and treating them as trafficking victims rather than offenders. The author, clergy, trafficking advocates, and a survivor testified that children involved in commercial sex are typically coerced, groomed, or controlled by traffickers, often family members or caregivers, and should receive protection and services instead of arrest. Witnesses described statewide advocacy and crisis-response services created in 2022, and committee members asked about prosecution of perpetrators and the prevalence of trafficking in rural areas. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then approved House Bill 1246, a response to a fatal drunk-driving crash involving Jada Bright, which would allow law enforcement to keep intoxicated offenders in jail if they are not safe to release. An amendment was adopted to clean up the language, and the bill was reported favorably. House Bill 1104, creating a misdemeanor for possession of motor vehicle key-programming or emulating devices used to steal cars, also passed favorably with support from prosecutors and police. House Bill 552, a cleanup measure replacing references to intoxication with impairment in prior drug-related statutes, was reported favorably as well. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 310, which would require random reassignment when a defendant waives a jury trial in districts with more than two judges, unless the prosecutor agrees otherwise. Supporters said it would prevent judge shopping and address concerns about unusually high acquittal rates before particular judges, while opponents argued it raises due process concerns and effectively lets prosecutors choose the judge. Despite the opposition, the bill was reported favorably. The last major item was House Bill 1107, dealing with post-conviction death penalty cases involving claims of intellectual disability; the bill would set a 75 IQ threshold and create procedures for Atkins claims. Supporters said it would bring finality to long-pending capital cases and follow U.S. Supreme Court guidance, while opponents argued it would be unconstitutional under Atkins, Moore, and Hall because intellectual disability cannot be reduced to a single number. After extensive testimony and debate over amendments, the committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not an area where I'm a technical expert, but I'm open to ideas and amendments on the floor.
• But then I don't know why you would be dismissing citations for folks on a technicality.
• I mean, should that technicality get rid of a search warrant and drug evidence?
• in this, or even an appropriation to fund more training for officers like this.
• And they should be able to give you... ...100 more troopers trained, what would that cost?

Bills: HB2056, HB2057, HB2224, HB2257, HB2265, HB2311, HB2352, HB2367, HB2369, HB2446, HB2532, HB2592, HB2752, HB2809, HB2957

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, special plates, centennial, Arizona Department of Transportation, vehicle registration, commercial discounts, Arizona Centennial, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding, Arizona, boating, watercraft licensing, law enforcement

Summary: The committee approved the March 10, 2026 minutes and then considered several bills. HB 2056, appropriating $100,000 for an Arizona Department of Water Resources feasibility study on brackish groundwater desalination, passed 6-3 despite concerns that it could encourage more groundwater pumping and worsen subsidence or impacts to tribal lands. HB 2057, which lowers the Arizona Centennial Special Plate renewal fee from $25 to $20, also received a do-pass recommendation, 7-2, with some members objecting to the special plate’s focus and the reduced fee. HB 2224, appropriating $1 million annually to DES for the produce incentive program, drew strong support from nonprofit and food-access advocates who said the Double Up Food Bucks program helps families, farmers, and local markets; it passed 9-0. HB 2257, changing the allocation of watercraft registration revenues among the Watercraft Licensing Fund, Lake Improvement Fund, and boating safety/law enforcement funds, passed 6-3 after criticism that the bill was heard without a sponsor present and concern about shifting money away from Game and Fish. HB 2265, barring courts from charging defendants for public defender or court-appointed counsel costs and related criminal-case fees, passed 7-1 amid debate over constitutionality, cost shifting to counties, and whether the bill should be amended to offset lost revenue. The committee then took up HB 2311, which imposes disclosure, content, parental-control, and self-harm response requirements on publicly available conversational AI services for minors. The sponsor and supporters framed it as child protection, while opponents warned about privacy, surveillance, and overbroad definitions; an Epstein amendment expanding the bill to broader conversational technology was rejected, and the bill passed 7-2. HB 2752, moving authority over international trade offices from the Arizona Commerce Authority to legislative appropriations and reporting, passed 6-3 after a proposed data-and-research amendment was also rejected. Finally, HB 2957, requiring ADOT to continue offering non-REAL ID licenses and limiting biometric collection and data sharing, prompted extensive testimony for and against; supporters emphasized privacy and choice, while opponents warned it could conflict with federal CDL and REAL ID requirements. The transcript cuts off during the discussion of HB 2957, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you have technical issues, please use the chat function to contact our technical staff here, and they'll
• And then, as I say, technical amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.
• We will be making technical amendments also for clarity, consistency, and style.
• :59.280> for<01:28:59.520> clarity, and technical amendments for clarity, and technical
• And then we'll make technical amendments needed to address statutory errors and technical amendments

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures. SB 1296 HD1, relating to disaster recovery, would exempt reconstruction of lawfully constructed structures damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster from special management area permits under certain conditions. OPSD, DLNR, the County of Maui, Front Street Recovery, and the Grassroot Institute supported the bill, saying it would speed rebuilding after disasters like the Maui fires; one witness noted the bill would not cover shoreline parcels unless amended, and members asked about the five-year rebuild window, the meaning of “lawfully constructed,” and whether unlawful structures were excluded. Testimony was also heard on SB 1413, which would allow the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to dispose of abandoned property in federal public housing projects after notice and within five days; HPHA said the bill would help address illegal dumping and clarify procedures. SB 31 HD1, concerning discriminatory restrictive covenants, was briefly described and had support from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and comments from the Uniform Law Commission, with no in-person testimony. The committee then heard SB 1341, which would add HEMA and the Office of Homeland Security to agencies allowed to review energy industry information and would expand the program’s emergency-management purpose. The Hawaii State Energy Office supported the measure, saying the data is important for emergency response and fuel-supply planning. SB 10008 HD1 would authorize counties to adopt ordinances enforcing accessible parking space requirements and clarify county enforcement of EV-related parking provisions; the Disability and Communication Access Board strongly supported the accessible-parking provisions, saying current enforcement is weak, while noting section three on EV spaces is already largely in statute and could be struck if the committee preferred. Tina Yamaki of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in opposition. Finally, the committee heard SB 1028 SD1 HD1, which would eliminate fees, fines, and court costs for offenses committed by minors, discharge existing related debt, limit community service for minors to 72 hours, and repeal certain penalties tied to minors and their parents or guardians. The Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council, Community Alliance on Prisons, and DebtFree Justice Hawaii supported the bill, arguing that youth fines burden families, worsen poverty, and disproportionately affect Native Hawaiian youth. The Department of the Attorney General offered comments, raising possible constitutional title issues because the current draft incorporates material from HB 129 and includes sections that may relate more to restitution or curfew than to fines and fees; supporters responded that the title is sufficient and cited case law. No votes or final actions were taken on the measures in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes a lot of training and a lot of effort to make sure that our.
• I have a more technical question.
• And then do we adjust our training based on those patterns? That's absolutely correct.
• We adjusted our trainings to address those patterns and trends.
• If someone can't afford to buy a book or video for staff training, they can go to the library.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They can even use their GI Bill to participate in it, and then we get highly trained.
• It's like their training facilities, their apprenticeship programs, things like that.
• I am the Director of Education and Training for Local 146, Fort Worth Pipe Trades Training Center under
• The real-world, high-standard training model would not be accessible without them.
• I'm also an apprentice with the Local 146 Pipe Trades Training Center.

Bills: HB1951, HB2715, HB3092, HB3237, HB3278, HB3511, HB3592, HB3675, HB3778, HB3782, HB3826, HB3970, HB4016, HB4049, HB4341, HB4344, HB4406, HB4427

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• One is training, and as part of training, we focus on increasing the number of health care providers
• So the idea is that we train them, and I say train them and catch them, to supplement the number of behavioral
• We also spend time training.
• So certainly, generally trained psychiatrists and generally trained psychologists are going to be There
• There was a training devoted to these evaluations. I was involved in some of that training.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just a technical fix to make sure we have the right effective date for the bill.
• SB 9794 requires that every employee of a residential facility or day training program for people with
• Through targeted recruitment, contract refinement based on feedback, and dedicated ongoing technical
• And one of those barriers that was identified was training and credentialing, so helping to support that
• housing for those continuing with substance use disorder, the need to perhaps provide additional technical

Bills: S0556, S0794, S1600

Keywords: high school diploma, graduation requirements, physical education credit, performing arts credit, marching band, Special Olympics, students with disabilities, IEP, individual education plan, 504 plan, Florida education, school credits, diploma substitution, ROTC, dance class, State Board of Education, public schools, graduation pathways, adaptive physical education, Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs considered three bills and a confirmation. On SB 1600, the committee adopted a strike-all amendment and a technical amendment that shifted the bill from creating an accreditation process to requiring the Office of Insurance Regulation, DCF, and community-based care lead agencies to study liability insurance coverage and availability in the child welfare sector and report findings to the legislature by January 1, 2027; the bill also included enforcement provisions for failure to provide requested information. Support was noted from child and family advocacy groups, and the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard CS for SB 556, which would allow students with disabilities to satisfy a physical education graduation requirement through participation in Special Olympics, if included in the student’s IEP, and would clarify that two years of marching band participation can satisfy both PE and fine arts credit. Special Olympics Florida, families, and other supporters testified in favor, emphasizing flexibility, access, and recognition of rigorous activity. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 794, which requires background screening for employees of residential facilities and day training programs serving people with developmental disabilities and directs a review of waiver support coordination, including quality, consistency, access, competencies, recruitment and retention, caseloads, and geographic gaps in services. An amendment to conform to the House version was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then questioned Secretary Taylor Hatch regarding her confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Senators raised concerns about child welfare system performance, parent notification and rights, CBC funding formulas, managing entities, opioid settlement spending, peer support expansion, and technology/interoperability improvements. Hatch described DCF’s recent data and initiatives, including reductions in out-of-home care entries, youth advisory efforts, missing children recovery operations, expanded behavioral health capacity, and technology upgrades for benefits processing. Public comment included support from family and provider organizations and concerns from a former foster care worker about medical misdiagnosis cases. The committee voted to recommend Hatch’s confirmation favorably, with Chair Grall voting no, and adjourned after allowing Senator Sharief to be recorded as voting in favor of SB 1600.

Transcript Highlights:

• and well-being of the state's public safety workforce through a coordinated effort of research, training
• It's a super technical amendment.
• This amendment would implement technical changes recommended by staff.
• Would implement technical changes recommended by staff. Are there any questions on the amendment?
• This amendment would implement the technical changes recommended by staff.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and took up a full agenda of bills, beginning with SB 1286 by Sen. Wright. That bill expanded the state recruitment bonus program to include newly employed firefighters, created a DFS grant review panel, and established a PTSD institute within DFS for first-responder behavioral health. Fire chiefs, the Florida League of Cities, and others supported the measure, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee then considered SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks by Sen. Rousan. A substitute amendment was adopted that clarified daily transaction limits, registration requirements, expiration rules, and OFR authority to deny registrations. Testimony focused on protecting seniors from crypto-ATM scams while giving the industry regulatory certainty. The committee also favorably reported CS/SB 198. Members next approved CS/SB 772, which allows portable electronics limited licensees to sell eyewear insurance, and CS/SB 1504, which updates insurance customer representative licensing pathways by allowing a high school insurance and personal finance course to count toward pre-licensure education. The committee also favorably reported Sen. Gruters’ CS/SB 1038 and CS/SB 1040, which together create the Florida Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve and its trust fund framework, and CS/SB 1440, which expands public records exemptions and cybersecurity-related protections for financial institutions, loan originators, money service businesses, and credit unions. Sen. Burton’s SB 1668 on the NICA program drew extensive testimony from a NICA board member and family advocate, who urged stronger funding to preserve lifelong care for catastrophically injured children; the bill was reported favorably despite concerns from the Florida Justice Association about benefit restrictions and retroactivity. Finally, the committee approved CS/SB 570, creating a DFS task force on payment scams, after an amendment reduced FDLE’s required representation. At the end of the meeting, Sen. Burton requested to be recorded in the affirmative on SB 1286, and Sen. Passidomo requested affirmative votes on tabs 3, 5, and 9; the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm currently stuck in a train station and travel delays.
• For example, each agency will have a role in terms of their data migration and unique training needs.
• It includes things like Gateway Technical College and Racine.
• It's a data center academy to train 1,000 students in five years for high-demand data center roles.
• It'll also include AI deployment support, AI readiness training, and capacity building.

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee held a series of informational briefings on information management and technology issues. It first heard from ACLU representatives on data privacy, who argued that Oregon should strengthen protections against private data brokers, government purchases of personal data, reverse warrants, automatic license plate readers, and local police surveillance. They urged data minimization, limits on data sales and retention, and broader transparency and accountability measures. Members asked about practical uses of license plate readers, state sales of data, and how Oregon’s approach compares with other states; the presenters said similar proposals have been adopted elsewhere, including data minimization in Maryland and a state version of the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act in Montana. The committee then received a detailed update from the Department of Administrative Services and Enterprise Information Services on licensing system modernization for 14 boards and commissions with the most immediate need. DAS said it is seeking a shared procurement approach through an RFP that would create either one scalable system or two tiers of systems, depending on agency needs and security requirements, with contracts expected by September. Committee members emphasized the need for a more unified, user-friendly statewide login and service experience for businesses and residents, and raised concerns about small agencies “figuring it out on their own” without sufficient cybersecurity or technical expertise. EIS said it is overseeing the investment review, security and architecture review, and future implementation planning, and noted that multiple agency requests may still come back to the legislature in the next session. The committee also discussed a revised cybersecurity incident notification concept. Staff explained that the earlier bill had raised stakeholder concerns, so the co-chairs directed further interim work with the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council and other local government and K-12 stakeholders. The goal is a narrower, voluntary “911-style” notification process that would let public bodies alert peers and potentially receive assistance after cyber incidents; a temporary voluntary process is being tested now, with a work group developing language for possible 2027 consideration. Finally, the committee heard updates from the new state chief data officer on data governance, data sharing, geospatial work, and the state transparency website, followed by a briefing on data centers from NCSL and the Technology Association of Oregon. The data officer described efforts to expand data inventories, data governance plans, data literacy, and interagency sharing, along with statewide aerial imagery, geospatial standards, and the open data portal. The data center discussion focused on national and state trends, including rapid growth in data centers, rising electricity and water demand, and legislative responses such as new rate classes, reporting requirements, and cost-allocation rules to protect ratepayers. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only.