Transcript Highlights:

• Adjutant General, Department of Emergency Affairs: Johnny Conley.
• SB 1380, opt for management conservation priority. Ready.
• SB 1411, Auditor General charter schools. Government. SB 1411, Auditor General charter schools.
• SCR 1026, general appropriation bill continued appropriation.
• SB 1391, stress management pilot program appropriation.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and an electronic roll call showing 30 members present. The body approved the previous journal and then paused for several memorial and guest recognitions, including a moment of silence for former Representative Noel Campbell, who died in a motorcycle accident. The chamber also welcomed visiting school district leaders, Grand Canyon University Government and History Club students, and Food Bank Day at the Capitol participants. Members then adopted a proclamation recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day, with remarks emphasizing the history of the Holocaust, the rise in antisemitism, and the importance of education and remembrance. A guest shared a personal family story about escaping Germany in 1938. Senator Bolick also read a proclamation for National School Choice Week, highlighting Arizona’s public, charter, private, homeschool, and microschool options and urging members to engage with schools in their districts. The Senate received numerous governor communications and introduced a long list of first- and second-reading bills covering topics such as education, water, energy, public safety, elections, health care, taxes, housing, and border issues. The chamber also received House Concurrent Resolution 2045 honoring the late Congressman Raul Grijalva; it was adopted unanimously, and the Senate observed a moment of silence. The session ended with committee announcements for the next day and adjournment until Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• ALL HAZARD MANAGEMENT TEAMS ARE GEARED TO HANDLE WHATEVER YOUR PROBLEM SET IS.
• THEY DON'T THOSE TEAMS ON THEIR OWN OUT OF THEIR OWN GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
• WE ARE MANAGING OVER 12,000 ACTIVE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW.
• THE TOTAL VALUE OF THOSE CONTRACTS IS $22 BILLION SO FDOT EMPLOYEES, PROJECT MANAGERS CONTRACT MANAGERS
• HOW DO YOU MANAGE ALL THAT TRAFFIC?

Transcript Highlights:

• Today's transfer would come from the various general discretionary account.
• The department is requesting total general revenue fund transfers...
• Our forest management strategy differs.
• , intensive, single-age management, where we try to do uneven-age management, where we have trees of
• We manage with prescribed fire. We do less nutrient inputs. It's common.

Summary: The committee met to consider a series of appropriation, reserve transfer, and grant requests. Early items included temporary appropriations for the Department of Education’s Educational Freedom Account program ($32 million), the State Crime Lab ($476,000), and DFA Assessment Coordination ($90,000), along with a $1 ARPA return from the Department of Health. The committee approved these items after brief questions, including a discussion about contract cost increases at Assessment Coordination and a clarification that the $1 ARPA item was simply an unused-funds return. The most extensive discussion centered on the Department of Education’s EFA funding. Members questioned the growth in participation, the use of one-time funds and restricted reserves, and safeguards against fraud or improper purchases. Agency officials said about 44,000 students were being funded, that purchases are reviewed and flagged for unusual activity, and that homeschool students are not required to buy a curriculum so long as purchases are eligible and approved. The committee approved the EFA appropriation and related reserve transfer, and officials said the governor’s proposed budget would include the program in the RSA going forward. The committee also approved a DHS reallocation request and reviewed a building authority loan for a data center power supply replacement. In the federal grant section, members discussed a Department of Agriculture request for Central Arkansas Water to acquire land in the Maumelle watershed. Debate focused on the environmental benefits versus local property-tax and development concerns in Perry County, with testimony from the agency, Central Arkansas Water, and Potlatch about watershed protection, public access, and potential development impacts. After extended discussion, the committee adopted a motion to defer the item to the full Legislative Council and asked the department to remove the Perry County portion from the request, limiting the grant-funded purchase to Pulaski County property. The committee then reviewed remaining items, including a Veterans Affairs pay-plan appropriation, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• More like just general infrastructure upgrades.
• I happen to be a home base for a lot of high-acuity patients in the Medicare managed care program.
• Managed care program. So who is the vendor that's going to be doing this work?
• As part of the general secret shopper approach, we want to make sure that if a plan is identifying a
• Next, we'll take up under Division of Emergency Management.

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission considered 21 budget amendments, most of them routine authority adjustments tied to federal grants, Medicaid payment programs, and trust fund realignments. The Department of Education received $14.751 million for a Preschool Development Grant to support early learning system improvements, workforce credentialing and training, IT modernization, and related early childhood certification work. The Department of Veterans Affairs shifted $2.2 million within its trust fund to cover higher nursing home occupancy, replace contract nursing with OPS staff, and meet rising operating costs. The Department of Health moved about $9.1 million to support Disability Determinations, where roughly 140,000 cases were pending or in process, and said the change would help reduce backlog and avoid a deficit. The Agency for Health Care Administration presented multiple amendments for Medicaid-related programs, including $766 million for indirect medical education, $1.9 million for managed care network adequacy audits, $209 million for the Rural Health Transformation Program, and several large supplemental payment programs for hospitals and physicians; members asked about CMS approval delays, provider access, and how rural funds would be distributed. The commission also adopted an amendment realigning KidCare funds, placing a $32.1 million surplus into reserve, though several members objected that the state had not yet implemented the 2023 KidCare expansion and that children remained on a wait list. Another Medicaid amendment placed a $376 million surplus into reserve after updated estimating conference projections. Other agencies also received approvals. FDLE received $16.26 million to buy counter-unmanned aircraft systems equipment such as radar and RF sensors to detect and mitigate drone threats. The Department of Juvenile Justice received $1.6 million for the Florida Scholars Academy and a Social Services Block Grant realignment, with staff confirming corrective action had been taken after prior audit findings about allowable SSBG spending. The Division of Emergency Management received federal pass-through authority for FIFA World Cup security and counter-UAS funds, both controlled by the Miami host committee, and members noted the state had little direct oversight over how those local grants would be used. The Department of Commerce received $148.4 million for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery work, with questions focused on the split between housing, infrastructure, and administrative costs. The Department of State received $408,377 for arts and culture federal grant obligations. All amendments were adopted, generally without objection, after brief questioning and no public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• the general fund. the general fund.
• the general fund for the position costs. the general fund for the position costs. Okay. Okay.
• general fund. general fund.
• out of the general fund anymore.
• out of the general fund anymore.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a second-generation Gator, fourth-generation Floridian.
• I'm a proud second-generation Gator.
• I am also a fellow Gator, third-generation Gator, actually.
• And then somewhere around, honestly, my generation, the millennial generation, we started using college
• We have a security operations platform technology driven by generative AI.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to hear confirmation testimony for a large slate of university and state college trustees. Most of the discussion centered on the nominees’ backgrounds, ties to their institutions, and priorities such as student success, workforce development, financial sustainability, research growth, housing, and maintaining or improving university rankings. Several University of Florida trustees emphasized campus improvements, “One UF” integration, institutional neutrality, and ambitions to move UF into the top tier nationally. Other nominees highlighted goals for Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, UCF, Florida State, Florida Poly, the Florida Prepaid College Board, and several state colleges, with recurring themes of affordability, economic mobility, cybersecurity, and keeping Florida students in-state for college and careers. Public testimony was heard on the Florida A&M appointment, where Elijah Hooks spoke in opposition to the current administration and described his expulsion, arrest, and trespass from the university after protesting the selection of President Marva Johnson. During questioning of FAU nominee Tina Vidal-Duart, senators asked about her prior service on the Hope Florida Foundation board and about reports concerning CDR Health’s contracting practices; she said she was not aware of the foundation issues at the time and noted that CDR’s state contract was a flat daily rate, so subcontractor pricing affected only the company’s internal margins. Other nominees received little or no questioning. At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to confirm all nominees except Tina Vidal-Duart separately. Senator Bracy Davis requested the separate vote and opposed her confirmation, citing concerns related to her Hope Florida Foundation board service. Despite that objection, the committee ultimately voted to report Vidal-Duart favorably as well. The committee also noted that one University of West Florida nominee would be taken up at a later hearing because he was unable to attend.

Transcript Highlights:

• It goes back to the General Fund.
• It should stay in the General Fund. Okay.
• funds, which is $568,000 in General Fund in 2026-27, and then a little less, $925,000 General Fund ongoing
• Part of it is the enhanced care management.
• So the request is for $355,000 General Fund for fiscal year 2026-27, and then $326,000... ...General

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy budget and policy discussion on child care, child welfare, and related early education issues, beginning with child care funding and slot utilization. Department of Social Services officials outlined the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 child care budget, including $6.8 billion for child care programs, an $11.5 million Prop. 64-funded disaster repair mini-grant program for licensed facilities affected by 2025 disasters, and projected reductions tied to federal CCDF formula changes and lower Prop. 64 revenues. DSS said the reductions could mean about 4,176 CCTR slots, but emphasized they were assessing how to absorb the cuts without disrupting children currently in care. The LAO supported aligning funding to lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant program. Senators pressed the department on why so many slots remain uncontracted or unfilled, why unspent funds revert to the General Fund, and whether more flexibility could move dollars from contracts to vouchers; DSS said delays are largely due to infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment ramp-up, and that it is working on readiness reviews, technical assistance, and possible reallocation of relinquished slots. The committee also discussed Emergency Child Care Bridge reallocations among counties and confirmed that no currently enrolled children would be disenrolled under the proposed slot reductions. A second panel focused on the state’s broader commitment to expand child care and reform reimbursement rates. DSS said California has nearly doubled child care funding in five years and increased monthly children served from about 294,100 in 2019-20 to more than 366,700 currently, while also advancing the single rate structure process through the alternative methodology and a joint labor-management committee report. Stanislaus County Office of Education described local shortages, especially for infant and toddler care, and argued that rate disparities between programs make it harder to sustain mixed delivery systems. Parent Voices California testified that the current system is confusing, unstable, and inequitable, with one speaker describing repeated paperwork burdens, waiting lists, and periods of homelessness while trying to maintain child care. The California Budget and Policy Center argued that only 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, that Universal TK has drawn major resources into school-based care, and that providers remain paid far below the cost of care; it urged more revenue, faster rate reform, and expansion across the mixed delivery system. The LAO estimated that aligning CCTR adjustment factors for three-year-olds and children with disabilities with CSPP would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Senators and staff also discussed the need for deadlines on automation and implementation of the single rate structure, with DSS and CDE noting that policy decisions, system changes, and collective bargaining issues are still being worked through. The committee then reviewed several child care trailer bill proposals. DSS proposed applying the 2026-27 COLA as an increase to cost-of-care-plus payments rather than as a traditional COLA, with $87.8 million General Fund initially proposed; DSS later acknowledged it had omitted CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge from the calculation and said the amount would be revised upward. The LAO recommended making the COLA treatment uniform across child care and state preschool programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology survey on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences for licensed family child care homes to 20% of care hours in a month, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a 12-month period, and aligning family fee collection so contractors collect the fee without reducing the voucher value. The department said these changes are intended to bring state law into compliance with federal requirements and to better reflect current practice. Finally, the committee discussed the Early Childhood Policy Council, including a reappropriation of previously unused funds and a new reporting requirement under AB 563; members questioned staffing needs and whether existing contractor support could absorb the work, while DSS said the funds are used for stipends, facilitation, translation, and contract oversight and may still be needed as participation patterns change.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:18.239> the as well as treatments to manage the as well as treatments to manage the
• That generic is or one specific generic.
• So that was a or generations to come.
• In this case, the managers or PBMs.
• which will allow for hospitals to manage which will allow for hospitals to manage any<01:32:30.159

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Jim, and I'm the General Manager of the Lower Brushy Creek WCID in Eastern Williamson County
• I have Ty Embry and Paul. ...Segal, who is the general manager of the district, with us today as expert
• I serve... ...as the general manager for North Texas Groundwater Conservation District.
• I am the General Manager of Yancey Water Supply Corporation. ...which is one of the largest rural water
• My name is Roland Ruiz, General Manager for the Edwards Aquifer Authority.

Bills: SB243, SB1586, SB1891, SB1959, SB2159, SB2568

Keywords: migrant labor housing, migrant housing, farmworker housing, migrant agricultural worker, agricultural labor, farm labor contractor, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, TDHCA, civil penalty, housing code enforcement, sanitation, occupancy standards, retaliation, worker complaint, language access, Spanish-language outreach, H-2A visa, temporary agricultural workers, unlicensed housing, rural housing

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm going to put my cursor by this GA, or General Assistance, line.
• Now, I've entered my $344 of gross monthly earned income and I have generated the correct General Assistance
• Now, I've entered my $344 of gross monthly earned income and I have generated the correct General Assistance
• Now, I've entered my $344 of gross monthly earned income and I have generated the correct general assistance
• With general assistance, anytime somebody is approved for SNAP with general assistance, we have to use

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:19.400> So, general operating from donors. So, general operating from donors.
• So, no impact to the general fund.
• <00:29:11.440> emergency is emergency management emergency is emergency management emergency
• management<00:29:12.200> funds<00:29:12.560> that management funds that management funds
• So, not no no impact to the general So, not no no impact to the general fund. fund. fund.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Commissioner Thomas holds a master's of Science in Sports Management, near and dear to my heart.
• governor as general counsel.
• counsel, when I was his deputy general counsel, when I worked for.
• Very briefly, I am a native Texan, fifth generation.
• And so how do you manage your court? I'm sure these cases are complex.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, where there's, uh, drinking water supply management area work.
• and now they've added with your generous and now they've added with your generous support<00:42:
• Generally speaking, if you compare us to other states, we are water abundant.
• <01:03:21.440> and improve storm water management and improve storm water management and reduce
• they should be for financial management they should be for financial management and<01:18:17.440

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But in general, I think for us at St.
• But in general, I think for us at St.
• But in general, I think for us at St.
• <00:45:44.319> are officers and directors or managers are officers and directors or managers
• we'll need to make sure that we manage we'll need to make sure that we manage their<00:46:00.720

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:27.720> uh overall the general uh overall the general uh tax<00:32:29.919> increase
• government managed government managed funds<00:41:27.079> I<00:41:27.280> I<00:41:
• <00:52:14.079> while rivers for future Generations while rivers for future Generations while
• million to lake and river management million to lake and river management annually<00:55:07.760>
• generates Innova Innovation species it generates Innova Innovation provides<00:55:21.400> boots

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicaid managed care patient Medicaid managed care patient population,<00:09:37.120> the
• go into a managed care organization. go into a managed care organization.
• <01:19:38.080> General<01:19:38.159> general<01:19:38.400> fund the general
• General general fund the general fund.
• General general fund anytime<01:19:39.280> we<01:19:39.440> like<01:19:39.600> to

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:58:47.920> uh takashima pesticides program manager uh takashima pesticides program manager
• <01:20:20.560> fiels conducting vegetation management fiels conducting vegetation management
• <01:20:45.480> resilient work in expanding and managing resilient work in expanding and managing
• This gap... anemones Dar continues to manage uh anemones Dar continues to manage uh established<01:22
• <01:42:42.280> biocurity is to train next Generation biocurity is to train next Generation

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the General Counsel for Touchstone Communities.
• No, generally, but I mean, it's a case-by-case basis.
• Then you also have two other buckets which are fixed capital and general administration.
• Expenses are generally paid for services that are actually rendered.
• That are three years old related to a glitch in a Medicaid managed care system.

Bills: HB660, HB4845, HB3902, HB5396, HB4615, HB1825, HB1403, HB4336, HB4585, HB4371, HB863, SB1589, HB5223, HB3195, HB2734

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation

Transcript Highlights:

• The coal was supplied to the San Juan Generating Station.
• Generally speaking, some concentrations appear high.
• management regulations.
• In a general sense, Mr. Chairman, Chairman Steinborn.
• And just as a general comment, it's my goal to...

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got a new project management organization structure that we've, We've got a new project management
• I think you gave an example of— Yes, asset management.
• And so I'd say in general, Mr.
• And so I believe we're increasing that pool both at home and just in general.
• We've done the same thing on the general contracting side.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met for an information-only hearing with no votes or formal actions. DOTD Secretary Glenn LaD and Deputy Secretary Beau Black outlined the department’s transformation efforts, emphasizing faster project delivery, improved transparency, and use of technology. They reported major reductions in contractor payment processing time, from roughly 35 days to 15 days or less, and change-order approvals from about 40–45 days to around five days. They also described new tools such as inspection tablets, a project delivery dashboard, e-ticketing, a customer service portal, and a pilot using sensor technology on department vehicles to identify potholes and damaged assets. The department said it is reorganizing district staffing, replacing the old area engineer model with district points of contact for construction, maintenance, and operations, without increasing total staff. Members focused heavily on local maintenance concerns, including potholes, drainage, culverts, mowing, overgrown ditches, and utility-related delays. Several legislators asked how to get quicker responses on routine maintenance and how to distinguish state responsibility from local jurisdiction. DOTD said it would meet with district administrators to address specific problems and clarify jurisdiction, and that the new customer service portal should help track complaints electronically. Members also asked about contractor accountability, utility relocations, and public communication on long-running projects; DOTD said it is improving internal KPIs, coordinating more closely with district staff and public information officers, and considering broader public updates beyond the website. The department also reviewed highway planning and funding. Officials said the Highway Priority Program is being reworked into a more fiscally constrained, staged process that starts earlier in concept development and gives legislators and constituents more feedback before the annual road show. They said the department is using new IDIQ contracting authority to bring in outside help for bridge maintenance and other work, and that bridge maintenance backlogs remain significant. DOTD reported that LTIF 1.0 and 2.0 together cover 91 projects statewide totaling more than $534 million, with over 40 complete, and that LTIF 3.0 adds 39 projects and about $165 million. Combined with other funding sources, the department said its upcoming construction program will include 385 projects worth about $1.73 billion. Legislators generally praised the department’s progress but raised concerns about lingering local problems and the need for clearer communication. Questions were also asked about a barge strike on the Black Bayou Pontoon Bridge, with DOTD saying divers and staff were inspecting the damage and that emergency repairs would likely be needed. After the DOTD update, the new Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, led by Archie Chesson, gave its own update on its first year, describing a small staff, heavy use of consultant and contractor pools, emergency procurement authority, and rapid delivery of rural bridge and roadway projects.