Transcript Highlights:

• Don't see any further discussion amongst the committee on the motion to waive the fee.
• So the first one is just simply on the fee. Okay. Yeah, we can. Mike here. Mike is on.
• Right, so the motion regarding striking language around the fee.
• So lines 19 and 20, and then lines 325 to 326, which are with regard to the fee.
• Potentially the fee. Any discussion to that motion? I don't see any more discussion.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's supported by utility fees. And B8 is the last letter.
• It's supported by license and application fees.
• It's supported by license and application fees.
• This is just going to cover us for any unexpected fees.
• fee or an ICF provider fee, but then not transfer it out to be matched.

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, transfer, and review items, approving most requests in Sections B through J. These included temporary appropriations for state technology upgrades, personnel management, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, higher education workforce grants, an ARPA grant for the UAFS LPN program, an IIJA grant for geological/critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for 102 State Police vehicles, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, several cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission HVAC and AV needs, and overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands for $250,000 to cover operating expenses tied to a new building was discussed at length but failed on the vote after questions about the lease and operating costs. A major portion of the meeting focused on a $25.7 million pay plan appropriation request for 15 agencies. Members questioned why the Department of Human Services had not requested additional pay-plan dollars for human development centers, where DHS acknowledged staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime but said the issue was not lack of pay-plan funding. DHS was asked to provide a written plan to address staffing problems. The Department of Corrections testified that the pay plan had improved retention and hiring, and committee members asked for follow-up data on vacancies and staffing outcomes. Members also clarified that the pay-plan request was appropriation only, not new funding, and approved it. The committee then reviewed fund reports, including the restricted reserve, Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, Tobacco Settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust Fund, IIJA, and Revenue Services transfer reports. DHS and DFA were questioned closely about the Medicaid Trust Fund, with members noting a $90 million February draw and asking about projected year-end balances; DFA and DHS said February was a high-expense, low-revenue month and projected the fund would remain solvent through the fiscal year, ending between $150 million and $200 million, while a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The committee also discussed a state hospital damage report, where DHS explained that insurance proceeds would not fully cover the repair costs because of depreciation and the age of the buildings; members expressed concern that the state would recover far less than originally expected, and DHS said any additional insurance recovery would be limited and returned to restricted reserve.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to need to work with Senator Collins related to the prohibition of charging landing fees
• We are going to need to work with Senator Collins related to the prohibition of charging landing fees
• Senators on tab 6, there is a fee bill attached to the one we just passed. That is CS for SB 602.
• So, you know, the fees could range from, you know, $50 to $100. ...statute.
• It says that the fees have to be deposited into the Economic Development Trust Fund.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met with a quorum present and took up a long agenda of House and Senate bills, many of them conforming or “orphan” measures that were amended with delete-all or strike-all amendments to place them in conference posture. Among those reported favorably were HB 5015 on the State Group Insurance Program, HB 5009 creating the Florida Accountability Office, HB 5013 on state-funded property reinsurance, HB 5201 on state financial accounting, HB 5203 on the Capitol Center, and HB 5501 on documentary stamp tax distributions. The committee also approved SB 1292 on public records exemptions for certain email addresses, SB 1290 on highway safety and motor vehicle agency changes, SB 26 on an uncontested claims settlement, SB 176 and SJR 174 on homestead property assessment for flood-mitigation improvements, and SB 1122 on Florida Virtual School procedures. Several substantive bills drew discussion. SB 924, covering fertility preservation services for cancer patients under the state health plan, received supportive comments from members and was reported favorably. SB 1160 expanded health insurance premium coverage for law enforcement officers and their families when catastrophic injury or death occurs in the line of duty or during official training, and it also passed. HB 1662, the Department of Transportation package, established or revised programs involving the Florida Transportation Academy, transportation research, rural transit, airport and seaport accountability, advanced air mobility, landscaping, and HOV lane changes; it was amended after testimony from the Florida Airports Council about landing-fee language and questions from members about AAM and HOV lane implementation, then reported favorably. The committee also heard and approved SB 600, which codifies a statewide manufacturing office and creates a Florida manufacturing promotional campaign and grant framework, and SB 602, the fee bill tied to that campaign. That pair prompted the most extensive debate, with members asking about grant structure, eligibility, oversight, and whether the program could become a “slush fund”; the sponsor and Florida Makes said the program is aimed at small manufacturers, would be subject to rulemaking, and is intended to support training and modernization. SB 602 passed on a mostly party-line vote with Senator Pizzo voting no. At the end of the meeting, members recorded additional votes on selected bills, and the committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Davis responded that, while that is true, the intent is also to ensure that when one fee is assessed
• are assessed and then rebated or credited back against those fees.
• retire certificates, that incurs fees that<00:13:14.360> we<00:13:14.480> assess<00:13
• So, as they incur<00:13:19.200> fees<00:13:20.160> then<00:13:20.600> and<00:13:
• assess one fee on the entire<00:15:30.040> region.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The fees that we payment fees, right?
• So, if you look at it, a $100 bill, $4 in tax, a $4 vendor fee or a $4 fee for swipe fees, roughly.
• So, if you look at it, a $100 bill, $4 in tax, a $4 vendor fee or a $4 fee for swipe fees, roughly.
• So, if you look at it, a $100 bill, $4 in tax, a $4 vendor fee or a $4 fee for swipe fees, roughly.
• So, if you look at it, a $100 bill, $4 in tax, a $4 vendor fee or a $4 fee for swipe fees, roughly.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , with tuition and fees being capped at the maximum in state law.
• <00:36:59.920> being<00:37:00.160> capped fees with tuition and fees being capped fees
• uh tuition and fee public institution uh tuition and fee rate.<00:46:26.720> So<00:46:26.880>
• that dollar um that that tuition and fee that dollar um that that tuition and fee dollar<00:46:40.960
• <01:14:53.199> um proposal to adjust tuition and fees um proposal to adjust tuition and fees

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• watercraft registration fees. watercraft registration fees.
• >> I was moving into fees next, Mr. >> I was moving into fees next, Mr.
• fees.
• So, it's not the amount of license fee you derive from the fee, it's the Pittman-Robertson.
• <02:13:21.520> And obligations for those fees. And obligations for those fees.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:45.759> to the court shall not charge any fee to the court shall not charge any fee
• SP 512, uh relative to the fees SP 512, uh relative to the fees and<02:53:14.240> criminal
• <02:54:33.120> or further is the the size of the fee or further is the the size of the fee
• I'm not paying a fee to have that done. I'm not paying a fee to have that done.
• still a a fee being paid to the court. still a a fee being paid to the court.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• driveway permit there's no fee driveway permit there's no fee associated<00:19:34.200> with
• <00:19:47.600> to they would be willing to pay a fee to they would be willing to pay a fee
• the municiple portion registration fees the municiple portion registration fees to<00:35:15.800>
• <00:41:40.240> uh state and Municipal costs and fees uh state and Municipal costs and fees
• <00:41:57.520> will<00:41:57.720> be fees will be fees will be prated<00:41:59.680>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• analysis to ensure its fees were consistent with statute.
• Absent a documented fee analysis, it's unclear whether current fee levels are appropriate to support
• It's all through licensing fees. Last year, we had $9 million swept from our fund... fees.
• not collect some required licensing fees... ...related to the charging and setting fees, including that
• the board did not collect some required licensing fees, charged other fees not authorized by rule, and

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we also pay the credit card fees both ways because we pay the fees when we charge the person and
• .<00:25:20.960> Um, fees.
• Um, fees.
• the credit card processing fees, etc. the credit card processing fees, etc.
• card fees, insurance, energy, etc., etc. card fees, insurance, energy, etc., etc.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not forgive any prior failures to file annual reports or unpaid fees.
• The bill also sets the biennial fee at $50 while the annual fee remains $25.
• For limited liability partnerships, the biennial fee is $1,000 while the annual fee remains $500.
• Essentially, for biennial reporting, it just doubles whatever the annual fee was.
• Most importantly, the bill deletes the prohibition precluding fee increases for license and stamp fees

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Government Organization met with a quorum present, approved the minutes, and then considered a series of House bills, most of them related to licensing, local government administration, and agency operations. House Bill 5063 would let county commissions appoint a county commissioner as a voting member of a convention and visitors bureau board, including for multi-county CVBs; it was reported to the full Senate. House Bill 5087 would join the interstate cosmetology licensure compact, allowing licensed cosmetologists to obtain multi-state practice privileges in compact states, and it was also reported. The committee then took up a strike-and-insert amendment for House Bill 4793, which combined provisions affecting barbering/cosmetology apprenticeships and lowered certain age and education requirements; after adopting a Jefferson amendment clarifying the salon training language, the bill was reported as amended. Members next approved a strike-and-insert for House Bill 5638, which clarifies the State Chief Information Security Officer’s duties, changes cyber risk review procedures, and updates references to the Office of Technology head as the chief information officer; it was reported as amended. House Bill 4483, dealing with the Board of Funeral Examiners, was amended to change the effective date for licensee-in-charge requirements and make technical corrections, then reported as amended. House Bill 5653, requested by the Department of Revenue, would expand confidentiality protections to cover audit manuals, guidelines, procedures, algorithms, and related materials to prevent taxpayers from gaming audit selection, and it was reported. House Bill 4452 repeals acreage limits on church property ownership, and House Bill 4801 expands permissible uses of hotel occupancy tax funds to include demolition of unsafe structures and planning or improvement of public property; both were reported. The committee also advanced House Bill 5622, which creates an expedited process for municipalities to conform local election terms and procedures to the state requirement that municipal elections be held with statewide primaries or general elections, and recognizes the Secretary of State as keeper of municipal charter rolls. House Bill 4546 would allow business entities to file reports biennially instead of annually, with higher biennial fees and updated enforcement provisions; its strike-and-insert amendment was adopted and the bill was reported as amended. House Bill 5613 would define and regulate telematics for state fleet vehicles, require reporting on unsafe driving and corrective actions, and include cost-benefit information in annual reports; it was reported. House Bill 5323 would let the Division of Natural Resources adjust license and stamp fees for inflation by removing a prior CPI-based restriction, and House Bill 4819 would revise criminal-record standards for certain non-Chapter 30 occupational licenses, shifting to a direct-relationship standard while preserving existing exclusions for violent sexual offenses; both were reported. The committee then adjourned after closing remarks from the chair and vice chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• The obligation was made by the state when they grabbed the VLF fee back in 2004.
• We are talking about a fire station, preschool fees, and community policing programs.
• I'm here to address the vehicle license fee and an obsolete mechanism that's in place.
• I'm here to address the vehicle license fee and an obsolete mechanism that's in place.
• But I have a direct affiliation with the vehicle license fee, really.

Summary: The hearing began with a vote-only agenda and then focused first on San Mateo County’s request to restore in-lieu vehicle license fee (VLF) funding. County officials, city leaders, labor representatives, nonprofits, and public safety advocates argued that the loss of roughly $157 million would force major cuts to homelessness services, housing assistance, mental health programs, libraries, parks, fire and police staffing, and other local services. They described the current formula as outdated and unfair, tied to school funding and basic-aid dynamics that no longer work for San Mateo County, and urged both an immediate budget restoration and a permanent legislative fix. The Department of Finance said the payments are discretionary, not statutorily required, and noted the administration does not view the expenditure as sustainable in the current fiscal climate. Committee members expressed sympathy, questioned the formula, and said they would keep the issue under consideration; the committee later voted to move the two vote-only items on the agenda. The committee then received an update from the Department of General Services on state property redevelopment, including the Hillcrest DMV site in San Diego, the Fell Street DMV site in San Francisco, and other state-owned properties. DGS explained that Hillcrest is not currently an active project, while the Fell Street project shifted from an integrated DMV-housing plan to a more feasible relocation of the DMV into leased commercial space, with a budget change proposal pending. Members pressed DGS on the slow pace of redevelopment, the potential for housing on state sites, and the costs and feasibility of adaptive reuse. DGS said many state buildings are aging and that adaptive reuse depends heavily on building design, floorplate depth, light, and risk from unknown conditions behind walls. The Government Operations portion then turned to the California Education Learning Lab, which supports intersegmental higher education innovation grants. The Lab asked for permanent restoration of $4 million in ongoing funding and a move of its home agency from the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to GovOps, along with technical trailer bill changes. Supporters said the program has funded more than 120 projects reaching thousands of faculty and hundreds of thousands of students, including work on generative AI in higher education. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the restoration and continuing the wind-down, citing the state’s projected deficit and suggesting the California Education Interagency Council could pursue non-state-funded grant opportunities instead. The committee held the item open. Finally, GovOps presented the new California Education Interagency Council staffing request, seeking four ongoing positions to support the council, with funding already included in last year’s budget. The department said the governor has appointed Debbie Cochran as executive officer and that the remaining positions are being recruited. Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee began questions about how the council will be staffed and organized.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not just say today, let's raise fees.
• I don't really want to mess with their fees whatsoever, right?
• Then fees have to be raised, and if you want to raise fees, you know what that's going to do?
• It was actually the executive that recommended to increase fees.
• fee is $600.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
• So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
• So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
• So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
• So, we're working with charging fees.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would stand for any questions. facilities use fees bill um brought by facilities use fees bill
• <00:01:44.960> that districts are charging large fees that districts are charging large fees
• <00:03:23.200> be that upon request that the fees be that upon request that the fees be supported
• And ultimately that fee fight against.
• So then two-hour fee of $35 an hour.

Bills: HB0023, HB0024, HB0025

Keywords: extracurricular activities, public school participation, enrollment, Wyoming, student access, charter schools, application process, authorizers, public hearing, community support, scholarship, education, eligibility, continuous enrollment, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In fee for service, sorry, current fee for service rates are lower than those paid by capitated plans
• Currently... listed on our Medicaid fee schedule.
• In fee for service, sorry, current fee for service rates are lower than those paid by capitated plans
• This proposal will help in redesigning the Medicaid fee-for-service fee schedule to ensure those children
• They deposit money into our trust fund through the fees that we have.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard presentations on the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget for the health and human services agencies. Kendall Kelly outlined the overall HHS budget at $48.5 billion, with AHCA accounting for the largest share, and agency heads then highlighted major proposals for Medicaid behavioral health redesign, APD waiver enrollment and facility needs, DCF child welfare, opioid, and mental health investments, DOEA funding for Alzheimer’s, home care, and community services, DOH funding for cancer research, public health initiatives, and lab capacity, and VA funding for facility improvements, cybersecurity, and medication management. Several members praised specific proposals, including increased reimbursement for private duty nursing, Alzheimer’s supports, and the Florida FIRST blood-in-ambulance initiative. Senators also questioned the proposed changes to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), with the Surgeon General explaining that the department expects a reduction in covered patients from about 30,000 to about 20,000 because of funding pressures tied to rebates, federal changes, and premium tax credit issues. Public testimony strongly criticized the ADAP changes, citing lack of transparency and warning that many patients could lose access to medications. Other questions focused on the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, DCF’s substance abuse and mental health data dashboard, Kids Care/CHIP expansion implementation, APD bed and facility planning, and the FX Medicaid technology project. DCF said about $7 million is set aside for the dashboard system, and AHCA said the governor’s budget includes $124.4 million for FX maintenance and continued module development, with $13.5 million to begin claims processing work. The committee did not take a substantive vote on the budget presentations and adjourned after questions and public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another thing that I'll mention is the ability to levy fees against participating states.
• You pay a fee in a compact state, a remote state.
• Not the exams, but just the license fee. In Missouri, not the exams, but just the license fee.
• I'm not able to find any fees associated with exiting the compact unless you were to consider the fee
• Are there any other fees, like golden handcuffs, keeping a state encumbered to the compact?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fees can often take up a significant amount of funding from the funds.
• The amount of fees will depend on what sector the manager is in.
• We are sensitive to fees. Again, our target is that net return. we know fees reduce that.
• Madam Chair, if I could go back to fees, one more comment.
• One of the ways we need to mitigate fees is through internal management.

Transcript Highlights:

• The final attorney's fees associated with the expenses are not limited to or affected by the payment
• It allows the insured to recover funds for attorneys' fees, prompt Pay Act fees, and other potential
• Before then, um, then they can move for summary judgment and it prohibits all attorneys' fees.
• That the Texas Supreme Court used in Rodriguez to say you don't get attorneys' fees.
• Interest penalties, attorneys' fees, or any other non-economic damages.