Transcript Highlights:

• . >> From uh Carroll County, Liberty High School.
• [laughter] Uh, Montgomery County, Damascus High School.
• . >> From uh Carroll County, Liberty High School.
• [laughter] Uh, Montgomery County, Damascus High School.
• [laughter] Uh, Montgomery County, Damascus High School.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate met in a brief pro forma session with only three members present. The presiding officer welcomed several new student pages from across the state and noted that, despite the light floor schedule due to a snow day, committees were still active and more substantive debate was expected the following day. The chamber then considered the reading of the journal and introduced one bill, Senate Bill 390, a Wicomico County measure concerning Class A beer, wine, and liquor license alterations, which was referred to the Finance Committee. Two Senate bond initiatives were also introduced: one from Senator Brooks for 234 Main Street and one from Senator King for Washington Grove Playground; both were referred to the Budget and Taxation Committee and then ordered to the capital budget subcommittee. No floor votes were taken on the bill or bond initiatives. After a quorum call confirmed the Senate remained in session, the majority leader moved adjournment, and the Senate adjourned until Thursday, January 29 at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the counties that have concurrency are doing that.
• It's some of these counties that aren't doing it at all.
• I think the counties that have concurrency are doing that.
• It's some of these counties that aren't doing it at all.
• It's some of these counties that aren't doing it at all.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and heard a series of transportation-related bills, most of which were reported favorably. SB 532 would exempt 100% disabled veterans from paying Florida tolls. SB 1738 would allow certain counties that previously opted out of transportation concurrency to opt back in by maintaining current levels of service, though there were concerns about congestion and future growth. SB 1696 aimed to reduce transportation network company driver impersonation, allow transit authorities to contract with ride-share platforms, and permit those platforms to participate in state-funded paratransit trips. SB 1378, as amended, would allow courts to order restitution in standard leaving-the-scene crashes; the amendment made restitution discretionary and required that the driver caused or contributed to the crash. SB 1210 would increase penalties for red-light and stop-sign crashes and require bodily injury insurance for drivers who cause such crashes. SB 1820, via strike-all amendment, addressed dealer-manufacturer relations by requiring written explanations of performance measures, prohibiting retaliation against dealers asserting statutory rights, and limiting franchise termination or nonrenewal to substantial breaches. SB 1246 created a specialty license plate for safe coastal wildlife, with proceeds going to the Zoo Miami Foundation for conservation work and an amendment allowing up to 10% for administrative and marketing costs. The committee also considered SB 574, which would allow Florida residents with Purple Heart license plates to pass tolls free of charge; the bill was amended to change the plate reference to a specialty plate and was reported favorably. SB 1662, the FDOT department bill, was substantially revised by strike-all amendment covering a wide range of transportation issues, including USF’s role in the Florida Transportation Research Institute Consortium, Florida Transportation Commission provisions, seaport and airport-related changes, strategic space infrastructure, sewer lines in rights of way, small county road assistance, aggregate supply chain programs, and Jacksonville Transportation Authority board appointments. Testimony on SB 1662 included support from USF and the Florida Public Transportation Association, which raised concerns about added oversight and bureaucracy for transit systems. Most bills received support from affected stakeholders, and several were amended before final favorable votes. Roll calls were taken on each measure, and all of the listed bills were reported favorably by the committee. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on several bills, and the committee adjourned after a brief personal privilege remark from Chair Collins.

Transcript Highlights:

• Foster from Otter Tail County. Is the county engineer? Is that correct?
• Our county partners at Hennepin County are the local funding partner for us.
• Our county partners at Hennepin County are the local funding partner for us.
• Our county partners at Hennepin County are the local funding partner for us.
• Our county partners at Hennepin County are the local funding partner for us.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Have the Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County voted on this issue?
• I represent Palm Beach County, the county in question.
• in Palm Beach County.
• I represent Palm Beach County, the county in question.
• I'm here from Collier County. Florida has 67 counties and 4,000... I'm here from Collier County.

Summary: The committee took up a long agenda of retained bills and several new measures, with most receiving favorable reports after amendments. Major debate centered on CS/SB 706, which preempts airport naming to the state and designates Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport subject to FAA and trademark-related conditions. Senator Jones offered amendments to avoid private royalty benefits, but both failed. Senators Berman, Osgood, Jones, and Pizzo spoke against the bill, raising concerns about naming an airport after a sitting president, lack of local input, and ethical issues; Senator Mayfield defended the bill as cost-free to the airport and noted the naming agreement. The committee ultimately voted the bill favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 546 on conservation land notice requirements and CS/SB 1014 on municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, both with amendments and some opposition from the Florida League of Cities on the utility bill. Several other bills were heard and reported favorably with little controversy. CS/SB 1500 would streamline uncontested probate proceedings; SB 962 would exclude farms and farm operations from certain zoning definitions tied to affordable housing preemption; CS/SB 820 would strengthen reporting for problem-solving courts; SB 840 would revise portions of last year’s hurricane-related land-use law to narrow its scope and sunset temporary restrictions; and SB 856 would require online property listings to show estimated ad valorem taxes, with an amendment excluding social media platforms and broadening liability protections. SB 110 would clarify homestead exemption eligibility for 98-year or longer residential leases. SB 394 would exempt certain underwriting managers handling limited facultative reinsurance from licensure requirements, and SB 434 would prevent wind-hardening improvements from increasing assessed value for residential property tax purposes. The committee also advanced several public-safety and transparency measures. CS/CS/SB 658 and 608, a combined water-safety bill, would require safety features for rental properties with pools or nearby water bodies and authorize DBPR enforcement; supporters framed it as a response to Florida’s high child-drowning rates, and Airbnb waived in support. SB 748 would place constitutional language on restoration of voting rights on sentencing score sheets, with broad support from voting-rights and civil-rights groups. CS/SB 824 would require annual reporting of unimproved school-district land inventories, and CS/SB 848 would create a framework for off-site stormwater treatment and related credits, with support from builders and mitigation bankers. The committee also heard CS/SB 1036 on school counselors, which clarifies certification requirements and performance criteria after a delete-all amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Douglas County 4181. Sure. Douglas County 4181. Sure.
• <00:20:35.880> Uh for the county. Uh for the county.
• County Board. County Board.
• residents of our county. residents of our county.
• 10 counties in West Central Minnesota. 10 counties in West Central Minnesota.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Butler County, Breenidge County, and Me County.
• County, Breenidge County, and Me County. County, Breenidge County, and Me County.
• Certainly, in counties like Fayette County, my home county, Jefferson County, counties up where you live
• 09:43.360> Jefferson County, my home county, Jefferson County, my home county, Jefferson County
• <00:10:36.079> public County other than Nicholas County public County other than Nicholas

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 0:03 Bills for Consideration: 3:10 Adjournment: 56:19, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard House Bill 1, which would have Kentucky opt into a federal education freedom tax credit program allowing donations to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) for K-12 educational expenses. The bill sponsors said it would not use Kentucky general funds, would be administered through the Secretary of State, and would let donors claim up to a $1,700 federal tax credit for contributions to SGOs. They argued the program could support public, private, religious, and homeschool-related educational needs, including tutoring, transportation, technology, special needs services, and other school expenses. Several senators raised concerns about whether the bill would favor larger districts with more school-choice options over rural counties with only one public school, creating a two-tier system. The sponsors responded that public school districts could also create SGOs and that the federal rules limit eligibility to families at or below 300% of area median gross income. They also said the program would not reduce existing state or federal school funding, but would instead redirect federal tax credit dollars that Kentucky donors might otherwise send to other states or back to the federal government. Members asked about the structure and oversight of SGOs, including whether they must be nonprofits, how broad their missions could be, and whether funds could be earmarked for specific purposes. The sponsors said SGOs must be certified, serve at least two schools and 10 students, spend at least 90% of receipts on scholarships, and cannot be directed to a specific student, though they can be targeted to categories such as elementary students or special needs services. They also said homeschool families would need to organize through a co-op or existing approved SGO. No vote was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding for indigent health care programs at the county level.
• County, there's 88 cities.
• First, on behalf of the urban counties of California, the counties of Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Ventura
• , and County Connection via transportation.
• with my county colleagues.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders said was the negotiated compromise with the Senate and was expected to move to the floor that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core services in the face of federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget framework and the likely floor bills, including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. Department of Finance representative Eric Khali said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced approach and supported the modification in SB 122, while noting the package uses additional revenues and new spending to soften or reject some proposed cuts. Most of the discussion focused on major spending areas. Members and subcommittee chairs highlighted protections and additions for health care and human services, including rejecting the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit change, delaying premium increases, restoring clinic and dental funding, supporting distressed hospitals and county indigent care, and expanding county eligibility staffing to handle H.R. 1-related workload. Education members described record or expanded support for TK-12 schools, child care, special education, community colleges, teacher recruitment, and higher education, including a change to extend Cal Grant eligibility to age 30 for some community college students. Housing and homelessness funding was increased for HAP, multifamily housing, and the low-income housing tax credit, while public safety members pointed to investments in victims’ services, restorative justice, and prison closure savings. Several members also raised concerns or priorities tied to the budget deal. Some praised the package as a moral document that protects vulnerable Californians, immigrant communities, LGBTQ residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Others noted unresolved issues, including the MCO tax’s impact on districts, the need for more support for local journalism, arts, biotech R&D incentives, transit and GGRF-related concerns, and the need for continued work on Prop. 98 and long-term fiscal resilience. The vice chair cautioned that despite the current progress, the state remains vulnerable to revenue volatility and warned that the budget should build more resilience against a possible downturn. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the committee was preparing the budget package for floor action and final negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 58 county offices of education.
• We have 58 county offices of education.
• Led and provided by our county offices of education.
• offices and lead county offices of education to provide technical assistance to school districts, county
• County in partnership with the 19 community colleges in L.A.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three education budget items: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance/statewide system of support, and universal school meals plus kitchen infrastructure grants. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579, and committee members questioned how the rate was determined, how much funding is actually spent, and whether overlapping funding from ELOP, ACEs, and 21st Century programs is being tracked. CDE said ELOP is showing positive attendance and math outcomes, but some requested data will not be available until mid-2027; members also raised concerns about double-funding, transparency, and whether middle and high school students are being equitably served. On differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the statewide system of support and the various tiers of universal, targeted, supplemental, and intensive assistance. Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to replace the current DA structure with a more stable universal and targeted assistance model, funded at $131.9 million ongoing, with a three-year support cycle aligned to LCAP and ESSA timelines and broader State Board authority to revise eligibility criteria. The LAO objected to considering the proposal before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria, and committee members expressed concern that moving to a three-year cycle could delay support for LEAs that newly fall into need mid-cycle. There was also discussion about whether the proposal would weaken subgroup-based equity guardrails or give the State Board too much discretion over who qualifies for support. For school meals and kitchen infrastructure, Finance proposed $1.8 billion ongoing for universal meals and an additional $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure and training grants. The LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the unmet need is not yet clear. CDE said prior investments have improved meal participation, efficiency, and menu variety, but many schools still lack the facilities for scratch cooking and face construction, electrical, and procurement barriers. Members asked for more data on how prior grants were used, which schools are benefiting, and whether funds could also support lower-cost food access strategies such as pantries, while noting federal restrictions on some meal-service innovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• management in Merced County.
• , wrote grants for the entire county, and led many other county efforts.
• I'm Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder-County Clerk for Los Angeles County.
• I'm Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder-County Clerk for Los Angeles County, and immediate past president
• by county, the prevailing wage.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the Hopkins County Family Court judge. Hopkins County is in Madisonville, in Western Kentucky.
• , we have a contract attorney traveling from Representative Decker's county of Shelby County to Taylor
• County to cover those dockets.
• > attorneys when you remove the County attorneys when you remove the County attorneys staff<00:15
• I have one attorney from a county two counties away who appears by Zoom, but these really are not the

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to discuss the guardian ad litem system, including appointment qualifications, training, payment, and whether any changes are needed. Roll was called, the February 25, 2025 minutes were approved, and the chair emphasized that the meeting was informational only and no vote would be taken. Representatives from the Court of Justice, including Chief Justice Deborah Henry Lambert and several family and district judges, testified about how the system has evolved since concerns raised in 2019 about overappointment and fees. Court witnesses said the judiciary responded to earlier concerns by requiring open appointment lists of trained and qualified attorneys, improving training, and increasing oversight of fee orders. They reported that statewide GAL fees have fallen from a little over $14 million in 2019 to about $12 million, even as caseloads have grown, and said the average payment works out to about $650 per case, with the statutory cap for trial-level GAL fees still set at $500 since 1986. They argued that the current local appointment model works well, especially in rural areas, and warned that moving to a DPA-style regional model would create serious scheduling and conflict problems because of overlapping dockets and related criminal cases. Judges from rural districts described shortages of available attorneys, high burnout, travel burdens, and the difficulty of finding enough counsel in smaller counties. They also said the Court of Justice cannot seek certain federal Title IV-E reimbursements, but urged the legislature to encourage the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to pursue that funding through an MOU. One judge noted that some appointed attorneys are effectively underpaid relative to private rates and that better compensation would help attract and retain lawyers. The discussion also covered training standards adopted after the 2019 audit. Witnesses said Rule 37 now requires initial training and four hours of multidisciplinary continuing training every two years, with topics including child development, trauma-informed care, substance use, child welfare, forensics, ethics, and communication with clients. They said the Court of Justice has offered in-person regional trainings and remote options, and that the goal is to keep qualified attorneys on the appointment lists while improving representation for children and parents in dependency, neglect, abuse, and termination-of-parental-rights cases.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that I studied in San Mateo County the last four years.
• Justin Rasmussen from Whatcom County.
• We receive all 911 calls for the county, with our county seat being Bellingham, and dispatch public safety
• We recently expanded into the south county of Mason County as well in April, so we have another team
• Stuber was there with someone from South County Fire.

Summary: The Community Safety Committee held an interim work session on crisis response, with members and witnesses discussing how Washington can better integrate 911, 988, mobile crisis, co-response, and alternative response models for behavioral health crises in public spaces. Travis Parker opened with an overview of the Sequential Intercept Model and the crisis care continuum, emphasizing early intervention, 988 access, regional coordination, navigators and peer support, and the need for sustainable braided funding. Several Washington witnesses then described current programs and system gaps, including the growth of co-response teams, the importance of integrating 911 and 988 rather than treating them as competing systems, and the need to reduce unnecessary emergency room use and improve first responder wellness and training. City, fire, and crisis-system representatives described local challenges and reforms. Kim Hendrickson of Poulsbo said most crisis calls still come through 911 and urged better coordination among field-based teams, more behavioral health training for fire/EMS, and more alternatives to ER transport. Laura Pippen, a designated crisis responder, described a strained involuntary treatment system, fewer DCRs statewide, difficulty getting law enforcement support for transports, and limited facility capacity, especially for substance use disorder. Jennifer Stuber and South County Fire’s Keith Sharp highlighted workforce training, a crisis responder certificate program, and first responder wellness efforts. Research witnesses Evan Lauder and James Pine said the evidence is still developing but generally supports on-scene resolution, reduced ED transport and detention in some models, and the importance of clear dispatch protocols, coordination, and ongoing evaluation. Dispatch and program operators then gave examples of how systems are working in practice. Katie Myers of Washington APCO/NENA said 911 remains essential, but needs evidence-based triage protocols, liability protections, and additional funding if it is expected to take on more crisis-response responsibilities. Whatcom County described embedding a “community connector” in the 911 center to coordinate alternative response, while ValleyCom reported that its 988 diversion pilot transferred 2,165 calls with 98% resolved through 988/211 without returning to 911. National examples included Denver’s STAR program, Albuquerque’s Community Safety Department, and Atlanta’s PAD initiative, each showing different ways to route low-acuity or behavioral-health-related calls away from police and toward clinicians, peers, or civilian responders. The session ended with Washington examples continuing, including Whatcom County’s alternative response team, underscoring the committee’s interest in refining and expanding integrated crisis response systems in the next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also a cattle rancher from Catron County.
• I'm the executive director for New Mexico Counties.
• That is why the county of Mora is the only county in this country that has banned fracking.
• And again, it would really protect the county or whoever permitted it. protect the county or whoever
• If the county set or permitted whatever it was, if the county finds that this is important for its environmental

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the counties contribute.
• , which means I have to cover some of my rural counties out of some of my larger counties, which increases
• , which means I have to cover some of my rural counties out of some of my larger counties, which increases
• Chair—so with all of the people moving to the state in Polk County, if not the number one growing county
• In some counties, like I'll use Manatee County as an example, the district decided to contract with the

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee held a panel discussion on Florida’s mental health and substance abuse system, with representatives from DCF, AHCA, two managing entities, and two providers describing how the state’s behavioral health network is funded and operated. Members focused on the implementation of prior legislative investments, especially the $50 million in recurring funding from Representative Maney’s bill and the earlier $126 million community behavioral health appropriation. Witnesses said the newer funds were used mainly for crisis beds, discharge planning, outpatient services, regional collaboratives, and a USF Marchman Act report, while the larger behavioral health appropriation supported CAT, FACT, FIT, forensic teams, residential and outpatient services, and crisis care, with most dollars going directly to services and only a small share to administration. A major theme was access to crisis care and the role of mobile response teams, 988, and central receiving facilities in diverting people from Baker Act admissions and reducing readmissions. DCF and providers said mobile response teams have expanded, are being used to de-escalate crises and connect people to care, and have shown strong diversion results and reductions in Baker Acts in some regions. Members also asked about waitlists, children in crisis, and how to handle people without housing or support; providers said discharge planning is individualized but often constrained by homelessness, transportation, and a lack of safe placements, and several witnesses identified housing as one of the biggest barriers to recovery and stability. The committee also examined provider sustainability, reimbursement, and funding gaps. Witnesses described delays caused by contract timing, cost allocation rules, and Medicaid reimbursement rates that do not always keep pace with labor and operating costs, especially for smaller providers and rural networks. DCF and AHCA said managing entities can provide advances, retroactive rate adjustments, and technical assistance, and that Medicaid managed care plans have network standards and complaint/dispute processes. Members raised concerns about a reported $7 million loss in federal non-sustainable funds, provider closures, and whether there is a formal ombudsman process for disputes; DCF said the federal reductions were known and tied to one-time funds, and that the department generally handles provider issues informally while working with managing entities to preserve continuity of care.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allocates money to the county; the county holds that money.
• Members of Taos County, so we have the Taos County commissioners.
• San Miguel County has four state parks, from eastern San Miguel County to western San Miguel County,
• Let's give you a few examples: Sierra County, $23 million; San Miguel County, $7 million; Colfax County
• Visitor engagement: Sierra County, $7.1 million; San Juan County, $3.7 million; Quay County...

Transcript Highlights:

• I support this bill because I'm the senator from Palm Beach County.
• is how we vote in those counties?
• or other... ...maybe 2027 to give some of these smaller counties or other counties the ability to get
• I have worked polls both in Monroe County and here in Leon County.
• We have adequate guidelines in both Monroe County and Leon County to prevent non-citizens from voting

Bills: S0460, S0748, S1180, S1334

Keywords: special elections, vacancy, Governor authority, election timeframe, judicial determination, voting rights, felony, sentencing, civil rights, criminal justice, rehabilitation, elections, voter registration, citizenship, provisional ballots, election fraud

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum and took up several election-related bills. CS/SB 1180 by Senator Arrington, which creates a recall framework for elected community development district board members and also addresses synthetic turf regulation and CDD eligibility, was presented briefly and then approved unanimously. SB 460 by Senator Polsky, requiring the governor to call special elections within set deadlines after vacancies and allowing judicial relief if deadlines are not met, also passed unanimously after members discussed flexibility for emergencies and the cost of delayed elections. The committee then heard SB 748 by Senator Bracy Davis, which would add constitutional voting-rights restoration language to the sentencing score sheet given to felony defendants. Supporters said it would improve clarity and notice without changing eligibility, and the bill was favorably reported unanimously. The committee also confirmed several appointees, including Jim Milliken and Alicia McShea to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, Robert P. Estalas as Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and additional gubernatorial appointees listed on the agenda, all by favorable votes. The longest discussion centered on Senator Grall’s strike-all amendment for SB 1334, an elections bill dealing with citizenship verification, Real ID and SAVE database use, paper-ballot voting, candidate qualification rules, and related election administration changes. Supporters argued it would streamline verification and ensure only citizens vote, while opponents warned it would create burdens, disenfranchise eligible voters, and impose costs and administrative confusion. After extensive public testimony both for and against, the committee adopted an amendment to allow supervisors of elections to observe holidays when not otherwise required to be open, then approved the strike-all as amended by a 6-2 vote, with Senators Polsky and Bernard voting no. The meeting then adjourned after members recorded their votes on earlier items.

Transcript Highlights:

• We retain the Boyle County space fit-up language but took no action on anything related to the Bell County
• operating expenses paid to counties. operating expenses paid to counties.
• <00:03:59.280> courthouses related to the Bell County courthouses related to the Bell County
• :01.040> courthouse or the Boyle County courthouse or the Boyle County courthouse construction
• uh HVAC project is completed, the county uh HVAC project is completed, the county must<00:04:17.000

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:23 HB 503 Discussion 00:01:00 HB 503 Vote 00:02:17 HB 504 Discussion 00:02:53 HB 504 Vote 00:04:48 HB 500 Discussion 00:05:19 HB 500 Vote 00:29:18 HB 900 Discussion 00:32:02 HB 900 Vote 00:33:00, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 503, the legislative branch budget, adopting a committee substitute and reporting it favorably. The chair said the Senate version fully funds defined calculations, provides 2% raises in each fiscal year for legislative employees, removes a paragraph on operating expense reductions, and includes $1 million in the first year for a judicial branch salary study. House Bill 504, the judicial branch budget, was then amended and reported favorably; changes included 2% annual raises for judicial employees, revised operating expense language, $1 million each year for county current services, retention of Boyle County fit-up language, reporting requirements for smaller capital projects, full funding for nine judges added in 2022, and removal of furlough prohibitions and certain budget implementation language. Both bills passed the committee unanimously with favorable expressions to the floor. The committee then considered House Bill 500, the executive branch budget, adopting a committee substitute before hearing a lengthy summary of major spending and policy changes. The chair described statewide 2% annual employee raises, agency base reductions with many exemptions, increased school safety and 911 funding, veterans and military funding, local government and severance-related changes, attorney general and auditor funding, pension and retirement system support, education funding changes including SEEK, postsecondary and scholarship provisions, public safety and corrections funding, and multiple capital projects. The chair also highlighted Medicaid-related provisions, including added waiver slots, increased state-directed payments, a 2.5% reduction in managed care vendor payments for plan years 2027 and 2028 with savings redirected to fee-for-service rates, and additional funding for behavioral health and public health programs. The bill was reported favorably after members explained their votes, with several noting they had only recently received the full 228-page bill and wanted more time for detailed review. Finally, the committee adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 900, an appropriation measure for government agencies, and reported it favorably. The chair said the bill remains a work in progress and that one-time funding requests from across the Commonwealth and across party lines would continue to be addressed as the process moves forward. All measures considered during the meeting passed the committee with unanimous or near-unanimous favorable votes, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• in both Clay County and St.
• Johns County.
• manager for Hardee County.
• I am currently the county manager for Hardee County.
• I serve on the County Planning Commission, three terms as chairman, reviewing county applications for

Summary: The committee first heard CS/SB 270, which would extend Bright Futures eligibility by 12 months for certain students whose parent was serving overseas in public service and then retired, giving military and diplomatic families more time to return to Florida without losing scholarship eligibility. Senator Burgess also explained a late-filed amendment to set the bill’s effective implementation for the 2025-26 school year, and the committee adopted the amendment without objection. The bill received supportive testimony, including from Senator Smith, and was reported favorably by a roll call vote. The remainder of the meeting focused on confirmation hearings for appointees to state college boards of trustees, with the chair emphasizing a new process of hearing from each nominee individually rather than taking a blanket vote. Nominees from Tallahassee State College, St. Johns River State College, South Florida State College, Broward College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Palm Beach State College, Pasco-Hernando State College, and Valencia College described their backgrounds and priorities, which largely centered on workforce development, nursing and health sciences, dual enrollment, fiscal responsibility, student retention, and partnerships with local employers and communities. Several nominees highlighted their own educational or professional ties to the colleges, and some noted the importance of serving rural or military-connected communities. One nominee, John Aloko for Pasco-Hernando State College, was not present because he was attending a conference in Hawaii and was deferred to a later hearing. After hearing all other nominees, the committee voted to recommend confirmation of the remaining appointees in a block vote, covering Tabs 2 through 22 except Tab 8, and the motion passed. Two members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on earlier items.

Transcript Highlights:

• To rest on the counties. Am I right?
• Have a number of counties locally in our role.
• Work requirement work for counties.
• Thank you to the counties as well.
• It puts so much burden on the county and frontline workers, both at the state and at the county.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, based on our research of all 33 counties, we found that two counties lack any type of animal
• And I guess my big concern on that was regarding the counties.
• The county is pretty much responsible for the entire enforcement.
• Counties, which ones are prioritized?
• Let's just say, like, 33 counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• to authorize the county County to authorize the county County to authorize the county commission to
• I serve a portion of Blunt County, northern Blunt County. Um Blunt County, northern Blunt County.
• Then from one county to another county? Then from one county to another county?
• So if you happen to move from say Marshall County into Blunt County, say Marshall County into Blunt County
• or other counties that Montgomery County or other counties that Montgomery County or other counties

Keywords: 920, all