Transcript Highlights:

• It was an eight-hour training.
• There are certain surveys that have been done about the workforce and the alignment of the workforce,
• There are certain surveys that have been done about the workforce and the alignment of the workforce,
• new training?
• new training?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• behind our workforce.
• children and serve as the workforce children and serve as the workforce behind<00:02:45.560>
• <00:26:36.880> and have completed the required training and have completed the required training
• They are the valued workforce behind the workforce, allowing parents to go to work and to school and
• behind the workforce valued Workforce behind the workforce allowing<01:36:23.199> parents<01:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• > training in training in some<00:10:38.160> specialized<00:10:38.800> banking<00:10:39.240
• currently don't have a lot of training currently don't have a lot of training or<00:10:41.960>
• We have before you Arthur Ray with the Department of Workforce.
• <00:38:39.040> We Ray with Department of Workforce. We Ray with Department of Workforce.
• I group, Workforce, under the statute.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you're talking about all of this training, but I can have zero training and go do it.
• Dentistry on an animal with no training, obviously not.
• The association would be better to address workforce issues.
• So the workforce issues are being addressed.
• People do it that don't have any training. That's the problem.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The conference committee on House/Senate Bill 2129 met to resolve the House amendment to the Senate-passed bill, which concerns exemptions related to veterinary practice. The main dispute centered on the House language adding terms such as “specialized or holistic trade” and expanding exemptions to include acupuncture/acupressure and non-veterinary dentistry, while the Senate preferred a narrower, more definitive list of exempt activities. Senators and House members discussed whether the word “includes” made the exemption open-ended, and whether equine dentistry should be treated as veterinary medicine or allowed as a separate practice. Testimony from Dr. Sarah Lyons of the North Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and veterinarian Troy Dutton emphasized that dentistry, including equine dentistry, is generally considered the practice of veterinary medicine and can involve invasive procedures and animal safety risks. They argued the House amendment lacked educational or licensing requirements and could allow untrained individuals to perform procedures such as dentistry or acupuncture. House members raised concerns about rural access, shortages of veterinarians, and the practical reality that some horse owners and equine practitioners currently perform float work and similar services. After extended discussion, the committee did not reach agreement. Members noted that the House amendment language differed from the Senate version on the key exemption provisions, and that further review of proposed alternative language would be needed. A motion was made and approved by roll call that the committee was unable to agree at this time and would schedule another meeting. The meeting was then adjourned pending rescheduling.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I was just wondering if there's a certification that can be had or special training for Appraisers
• And we want to make sure that they have The proper training so we felt like 1000 hours was the one to
• The idea was how do we ensure that the workforce commission that you and I created a few short years
• With the workforce commission, I believe we have resolved those concerns and issues.
• , and that you will stay very engaged with the Workforce Commission as members of this body and of this

Bills: HB3783, HB2955, HB3802, HB4488, HB2471, HB3781, HB3127

Keywords: captive insurance, protected cell, sponsored captive, captive insurer, insurance commissioner, premium tax, dormant captive, risk retention group, pure captive, association captive, industrial insured captive, series captive, branch captive, special purpose captive, reciprocal insurer, capital and surplus, letter of credit, change in control, merger, conversion

Transcript Highlights:

• By the workforce, for example, the Department of Workforce Solutions.
• So, we really want to boost the local workforce.
• Is it to build a workforce? Mr. Speaker and gentlelady, you Seem focused on building a workforce.
• Speaker, gentlelady, is related to the workforce.
• In my small community, there are two to three of us who are law trained. ...us who are law trained, and

Transcript Highlights:

• the institute is to strengthen the mental resilience and well-being of the state's public safety workforce
• through a coordinated effort of research, training incentives, public outreach, and policy guidance.
• The insurance workforce in Florida, along with the depth of knowledge in their field, is aging out of
• the workforce.
• the workforce.

Bills: S0198, S0570, S0772, S0808, S1038, S1040, S1286, S1440, S1504, S1668

Keywords: virtual currency, kiosks, money services business, regulation, financial services, consumer protection, cryptocurrency, registration, payment scams, task force, fraud prevention, property insurance, roofing requirements, inspector, insurance policies, homeowners insurance, roof age, residential structures, insurance renewal, investment

Summary: The Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 1286 by Senator Wright. That bill expands the law enforcement recruitment bonus program to include firefighters, creates a DFS grant review panel for fire-related grants, and establishes an institute for PTSD and first-responder behavioral health. Testimony from fire chiefs and others supported the measure, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee then considered several insurance and financial regulation bills. CS/SB 198 by Senator Rousan, as amended, regulates virtual currency kiosks with transaction limits, notice and receipt requirements, and OFR enforcement authority; witnesses described it as a needed anti-fraud measure, especially for seniors, and it was reported favorably. CS/SB 772 by Senator Burgess, as amended, allows limited licenses for portable electronics and eyewear insurance, and CS/SB 1504 by Senator Claudio, as amended, creates a pathway for high school students to qualify for insurance customer representative licensure; both were reported favorably. The committee also approved two cryptocurrency reserve bills by Senator Gruters: CS/SB 1038 creates the Florida Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve framework, and CS/SB 1040 creates the related trust fund; both received technical amendments and favorable reports. CS/SB 1440 by Senator Martin, as amended, creates public records exemptions and cybersecurity reporting provisions for financial institutions and related entities, and it was reported favorably. Finally, SB 1668 by Senator Burton, which updates the NICA program’s funding and benefit structure, and CS/SB 570 by Senator Polsky, which creates a task force on payment scams, were both heard with supportive testimony and reported favorably. Senators later recorded additional affirmative votes on selected bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Supports workforce training and flood modeling and nature-based construction.
• It also supports public education efforts and workforce training, which will help build local capacity
• And there's another concern I have: the workforce funding.
• When we look at the workforce development capitalization incentive grant program to implement workforce
• training, that would involve, again, a fiscal impact.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources convened with a quorum present and took up SB 302 by Senator Garcia, which would promote nature-based solutions for coastal resilience. Garcia said the bill would direct DEP to adopt statewide guidelines, encourage local restoration projects through existing grant programs, streamline permitting for green and hybrid infrastructure, support workforce training, and require a study on flood-risk and insurance benefits. Senator Harrell asked about implementation, existing statutory authority, and possible fiscal impacts. The committee adopted an amendment clarifying that hybrid infrastructure need only combine green and gray elements, not prove superiority over either alone. The committee heard supportive testimony on SB 302 from Katie Bauman of Surfrider Foundation, who said nature-based approaches such as dunes, wetlands, and mangroves are cost-effective and protective, and several organizations waived in support, including the Environmental Defense Fund of Florida, the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association, and 1,000 Friends of Florida. Senator Harrell said she supported the concept but remained concerned about the breadth of rulemaking and the fiscal implications of workforce funding. After closing remarks from Garcia, the committee voted to report CS for SB 302 favorably. The remainder of the meeting consisted of informational presentations on land management. Brian Bradner of DEP reviewed Florida State Parks management, including prescribed fire, invasive species removal, hydrologic restoration, cultural resource preservation, visitor use, and budgeted land-management activities. Melissa Tucker of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission described wildlife management areas, emphasizing habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, ranch infrastructure, public access, and the economic value of the system. Rick Dolan of the Florida Forest Service outlined state forest management funded through a $20 million appropriation, including road and facility work, recreation upgrades, invasive species control, reforestation, habitat restoration, prescribed burning, and boundary marking. Senators praised the agencies’ work and noted the ongoing cost of managing state lands. The committee then adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• The concealed carry, I think, is an important part of that by requiring training, demonstrating proficiency
• **Madam Chair:** I would also support at least including the refresher training, because in the event
• Item 2, lines 17 through 19, talks about not being required to Complete a refresher firearms training
• SB 364 is about equity in the workforce.
• Immigrants represent 11% of the workforce.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Emergency Response (ER) training program trained 136 students.
• The MNERD Fire Services Training Program trained 2,747 students.
• a training mission not happening.
• trainings all the time.
• Do you do much virtual training? Oh, yes, a lot of virtual training.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And even if they do pursue, they're trained to.
• . training at the unit level.
• It would also provide for a training management or learning management system which would track our training
• up teams to do additional training and workforce enrichment for their employees.
• We do train on one second bursts.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It promotes Florida as a destination for law enforcement training.
• to train law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.
• They're simply not trained for increasing wrongful detentions as such.
• Florida's workforce workforce will suffer. The students are part of the fabric of our community.
• And the bill promotes Florida as a destination for law enforcement training by supporting training needs

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that a lot of our trainings have been... posted.
• We're posting our trainings online now, so we're not having to go out and do as many trainings.
• So that when we do a training, we're recording it or doing a separate training so that it gets posted
• We do a little bit of ICIP training. We do a capital outlay training. We do... a TIF training.
• trainings, then we make sure that they're aware of those trainings as well.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Training is free.
• I completed my residency training in Boston. ...communities after injury or illness.
• It is a workforce crisis that has ripple effects in our communities. Substance use is rising.
• We have seen since the pandemic that there is a workforce shortage because of the pandemic.
• Many people are to take the loved ones home and leave the workforce.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing focused largely on senior long-term care issues, family caregiving, post-acute care access, and direct care workforce pay. Testimony strongly supported bills to raise the personal needs allowance for nursing home and rest home residents (including H. 1411, S. 482, and related bills), with speakers from Mass Senior Action, Dignity Alliance, nursing home residents, providers, and former state officials arguing that the current $72.80 monthly allowance has been unchanged since 2008 and is inadequate for basic items like clothing, toiletries, haircuts, and transportation. Witnesses also backed bills to increase MassHealth asset and income limits for seniors and to stop counting life insurance as cash, describing the current rules as outdated and harmful to low-income elders. The committee also heard testimony on bills allowing family members, including spouses and guardians, to be paid caregivers (H. 1394/S. 886), with supporters saying this would help families keep loved ones at home and reduce reliance on costly institutional care. Another set of bills (H. 1412/S. 903) drew support from a physician who said clearer MassHealth communication and improved post-acute care determination processes would help reduce delays and backlogs for patients awaiting skilled nursing, rehabilitation, or other post-acute placement. Several speakers emphasized that better home- and community-based care can prevent hospital readmissions and support independence. A major portion of the hearing focused on S. 877, which would establish an enhanced care worker minimum wage of $25 per hour, indexed to inflation, for certain home care and human services workers. Union representatives and direct care workers from SEIU Local 509, 1199 SEIU, and the AFL-CIO described severe staffing shortages, burnout, low wages, and high turnover across home care, mental health, disability services, and crisis response. They argued that higher pay is necessary to recruit and retain workers and to stabilize services for vulnerable residents. Committee members asked about costs, comparisons with other states, and whether non-wage incentives could help, but witnesses repeatedly said wages were the central issue. The hearing concluded after all registered testimony was heard, with the committee noting it would continue accepting written testimony and then adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, uh, I've been trained finally that people know I don't know what I'm talking about.
• :15.560> been questions and answers and uh I've been questions and answers and uh I've been train
• finally that people know I don't train finally that people know I don't know<00:01:17.920> what
• access to and use of all the workforce access to and use of all the workforce tools<00:03:35.879
• center that we can bring jobs in and train them in partnership with our local high schools.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:34 Economic Development Cabinet 27:51 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee met without a quorum, so the minutes from the last two meetings were not approved. Secretary Noel of the Cabinet for Economic Development then gave a broad overview of the cabinet’s work and an update on the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPD), with Deputy Secretary Katie Smith and General Counsel Matt also present. He said the cabinet’s strategy is to focus on high-wage job creation, especially in automotive transformation, business and financial professional services, tourism, logistics, agri-tech, aerospace, and other high-tech sectors, while also supporting small and medium-sized businesses and existing employers. Noel highlighted several program results and examples, including average incentivized wages approaching $27 per hour, 877 jobs and $346 million in investment through hub operations, $90 million through Commonwealth Ventures, help for hundreds of companies through the Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance, work with 220 companies through the Kentucky Science and Technology Council, nearly 3,000 students in Advanced Kentucky, and more than 1,100 participants in Kentucky Valor. He also cited 35,000 workers trained through Bluegrass State Skills, 177 businesses helped by the small business tax credit, and 77 entertainment incentive transactions totaling about $200 million and 7,400 jobs. On the grant side, he said the cabinet had approved 155 projects under a federal grant program, committing $99 million, with outreach aimed at smaller communities and all 120 counties. The main focus of the second half was KPD. Noel described it as a program that requires more than basic due diligence, emphasizing community readiness, local vision, title and mineral-rights review, sewer validation, and consultant review. He said 109 projects had been awarded in the earlier rounds, and in 2024 there were 45 requests for information seeking $81 million against $35 million in available funding, showing strong demand. He also said the cabinet has worked with local economic developers through five regions aligned with area development districts, and that the secretary, deputy secretary, or commissioner of business development must attend the regional meetings, with 100% attendance reported for the key three last year. In response to questions, he said Jefferson County’s lack of KPD projects so far likely reflects where local land and development strategies are in the process rather than a lack of interest, and he said the cabinet has not heard that Kentucky’s occupational safety and health rules are clearly helping or hurting competitiveness, though he offered to look into it further.

Transcript Highlights:

• actively seeking work, or in training. actively seeking work, or in training.
• It takes a while to train people and uh then you've got them trained.
• It takes a while to train people and uh then you've got them trained.
• It takes a while to train people and uh then you've got them trained.
• people and uh then you've got them train people and uh then you've got them trained.<00:15:43.120>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because there is a workforce challenge out there.
• We have brought special statewide trainings to LEAs, brought special statewide trainings to LEAs specifically
• But what I wanted to also state is, oh, I lost my train of thought.
• It was, hmm, I lost my train of thought.
• Because then you will have a well-qualified workforce...

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s education budget proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Learning Recovery Block Grant, and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), followed by testimony from State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond. On LCFF, Finance outlined the proposed 2.43% COLA, repayment of prior deferrals, and a trailer bill penalty for LEAs that fail to adopt Local Control Accountability Plans on time. The LAO said its COLA estimate was slightly lower and raised concerns that the Governor’s proposed TK staffing ratio increase may be more costly than estimated. Members also discussed whether the current COLA formula should better reflect California-specific or district staffing costs, and whether TK should be more clearly separated from the K-3 grade span adjustment to avoid larger K-3 class sizes. The chair asked staff to work with the LAO on both the TK/K-3 issue and alternative COLA calculations. For the Learning Recovery Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring the first of three delayed payments, $378.6 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, while the LAO recommended adopting the proposal but extending the expenditure deadline by at least a year. The LAO reported that districts had spent $1.6 billion of the $6.8 billion received through 2023-24 and said most districts were only now shifting from federal COVID relief to block grant spending. Members questioned whether the large state and federal investments were improving outcomes, citing declining reading and math trends, while Finance and the State Board president pointed to some signs of improvement, especially in math, attendance, and gains for some student groups. Darling-Hammond emphasized that student needs have grown, that recovery spending has gone to devices, ventilation, staffing, tutoring, summer school, and community schools, and that targeted interventions appear to be helping some districts recover faster than others. On ELOP, Finance proposed adding $435 million to expand universal access by lowering the Tier 1 threshold from 75% to 55% unduplicated pupils, bringing ongoing funding to $4.4 billion. The LAO said the estimate was reasonable but recommended delaying implementation for a year, aligning ELOP with ASES to reduce overlap, moving toward funding based on participation rather than enrollment, and considering a fixed Tier 2 rate. Members and witnesses discussed staffing challenges, the use of funds for students with disabilities, and uncertainty in Tier 2 funding caused by unspent dollars and opt-outs. Darling-Hammond supported ELOP as part of California’s broader after-school and summer learning strategy, said most districts are now offering full-day TK and expanded learning, and urged the state to reduce fragmentation across categorical programs and build more unified systems for funding, reporting, and support.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is the newer one, which is Workforce Housing.
• Workforce housing is described in rule as below-market housing addressing demand for workforce housing
• Workforce housing is described in rule as below-market housing addressing demand for workforce housing
• The rest of them are all on the workforce housing side.
• , to use the federal WIOA Workforce Investment Funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have a workforce training program now that has been very successful in reducing recidivism rate.
• They have a workforce training program now that has been very successful in reducing recidivism rate.
• And during that training, only 35 licenses actually attended the training out of, I think, at the time
• And during that training, only 35 licenses actually attended the training out of, I think, at the time
• we had training and very few attended. we had training and very few attended.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The hearing began with the State Board of Architecture’s budget presentation. The executive director described the board’s mission to regulate architecture, landscape architecture, and certified interior design to protect public health and safety. He highlighted the board’s consolidated structure, license totals, high reciprocity rate, recent rule changes to reduce barriers to practice, and a proposed FY 2027 budget of $368,123, which included a 5% staff salary increase and higher operating costs. He also noted a newly identified need to modernize the licensing system, estimated at at least $25,000, and asked that the board not be reduced below the requested level. A board member also praised the small staff’s responsiveness and effectiveness. The State Board of Public Accountancy then presented its budget and policy requests. The executive director said the board regulates CPAs and CPA firms, oversees the CPA exam process, and has about 3,600 active individual licensees and 800 firms. The board requested only a 3% compensation increase for staff, plus a special request to allow an audit supervisor to repay the cost of a Becker review course through payroll deduction as part of succession planning. She also described a board-approved waiver program that began January 1, eliminating application fees for CPA exam candidates and retakes; 42 candidates had used the waiver in the first two weeks. In response to questions, she said the board does not assist CPAs with IRS disputes, but it does investigate complaints from the IRS, SEC, PCAOB, or others. Finally, a representative presented for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She explained that the board regulates licensed counselors and psychotherapy providers, meets frequently, and has two staff members. The board’s main request was for additional investigative capacity: a full-time investigator and related funding, because complaints are currently handled by part-time investigators, contractors, and sometimes board members, which can require recusals from hearings. She said the state auditor had recently flagged complaint backlogs at regulatory agencies, supporting the request. The board also sought funding for a contractual administrative position, salary progressions, and a one-time technology increase to modify its new licensing system for the counseling compact and better search functions. Members questioned the board about its large cash balance, which was reported at about $860,000, and whether it should provide fee relief or other benefits to members; the presenter said the board would look into that and noted that revenues had increased significantly in recent years, partly due to out-of-state and telehealth-related licensing demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• We think that part of the legacy of the games is to have a trained workforce here in California.
• the right to be upskilled and properly trained.
• Better training means safer outcomes for everyone. ...officers receive meaningful de-escalation training
• workforce and invest in that workforce.
• difference between training that is chosen and training that is compelled as a condition of exercising

Keywords: 988, house, all